01 / GLOBAL
Global Paleogeography in Deep Time
The newest series, completed in 2026, traces the changing position of continents and oceans from the present back to approximately 525 million years ago.
Deep Time Maps™
A different
way to see
the planet.
Deep Time Maps provides paleogeographic maps of the ancient world—showing how Earth’s landscapes, oceans, mountain ranges, coastal plains and continental interiors changed through hundreds of millions of years.
The maps also reveal the tectonic forces behind those changes: subduction zones, island arcs, mid-ocean ridges and accreting terranes. They are compiled from the latest geologic data and scientific literature.
For 42°N, the opportunity is bigger than a map. It is a storytelling challenge: how can an audience see deep time, rather than simply be told about it?
The Map Series
02 / NORTH AMERICA
North America in Deep Time
93 time slices from 541 million years ago to the present, with exceptionally detailed reconstructions of North America and surrounding regions.
03 / SOUTHWEST
Southwest North America in Deep Time
A regional series focused on the changing landscapes and geology of the American Southwest.
04 / CRETACEOUS
Western Interior Seaway
44 closely spaced time slices from 140 to 65 million years ago, tracing the rise and disappearance of the great Cretaceous seaway.
05 / EUROPE
Paleogeography of Europe
Maps spanning deep geologic time, including the tectonic history that helped create the Alpine orogeny and modern Europe.
06 / OTHER SERIES
Permian Basin + Arctic
Additional series explore the Greater Permian Basin and the paleogeography of the Arctic.
525 MaGlobal series reaches back
541 MaNorth America series begins
93North America time slices
44Western Interior Seaway slices
The Collaboration
From map
to moving
story.
Deep Time Maps was developed by Dr. Ron Blakey, president of Colorado Plateau Geosystems Inc. and Professor Emeritus of Geology at Northern Arizona University.
42°N Owner/Producer/Director Kate Raisz is credited with Dr. Blakey as the developer of the Deep Time Maps animations. The animation work turns the static map series into a way of experiencing geological change over time.
“Allow yourself to be taken back into deep geologic time…”
Explore the source material
See the maps
for yourself.
The complete Deep Time Maps collection includes map series, thumbnails, samples, animations and information about purchasing maps for museums, libraries, academic and corporate use.
Visit DeepTimeMaps.com →