The Great Ice Age and its Relation to the Antiquity of Man

First published in 1874, this classic text explores the role of land ice in the shaping of the Earth's surface.

James Geikie (Author)

9781108050081, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 26 April 2012

646 pages, 14 b/w illus. 3 maps
21.6 x 14 x 3.6 cm, 0.81 kg

James Geikie (1839–1915) was born in Edinburgh, and his work from 1861 as a field geologist for the Geological Survey in Scotland provided the evidence for the theories he proposes in this work, first published in 1874 (revised editions appeared in 1877 and 1894). Geikie brought together his own research and the findings of other geologists in Scotland to support his main thesis of 'drift' being evidence of the action not of sea ice but of land ice. He was influenced by James Croll's theory that changes in the Earth's orbit led to epochs of cold climate in one hemisphere and warm in the other, and Geikie believed that the geological record provided evidence for inter-glacial periods. The book was hailed as a breakthrough at the time, and brought the author international recognition. With intricate scientific theories explained in clear uncluttered language, this remains a classic text.

Preface
1. Introductory
2. Superficial formations of Scotland
3. Early theories
4. Mr Croll's theory of glacier motion
5. Greenland
6. Origin of the till and rock striations and groovings of Scotland
7. Origin of the till
8. Cause of cosmical changes of climate
9. Cause of cosmical changes of climate (cont.)
10. Cause of cosmical changes of climate (cont.)
11. Beds subject to and intercalated with the Scottish till
12. Beds subject to and intercalated with the Scottish till (cont.)
13. Beds subject to and intercalated with the Scottish till (cont.)
14. Beds subject to and intercalated with the Scottish till (cont.)
15. Boulder-clay beds of Scotland
16. Upper drift deposits of Scotland
17. Upper drift deposits of Scotland (cont.)
18. Upper drift deposits of Scotland (cont.)
19. Upper drift deposits of Scotland (cont.)
20. Upper drift deposits of Scotland (cont.)
21. Lakes and sea-lochs of Scotland
22. Post-glacial and recent deposits of Scotland
23. Post-glacial and recent deposits of Scotland (cont.)
24. Post-glacial and recent deposits of Scotland (cont.)
25. Glacial deposits of England and Ireland
26. Superficial deposits of Scandinavia
27. Superficial deposits of Switzerland
28. Superficial deposits of North America
29. Cave-deposits and ancient river-gravels of England
30. Climate of the palaeolithic period
31. Geological age of the palaeolithic deposits
32. Geological positions of neolithic, palaeolithic, and mammaliferous deposits of foreign countries
33. Conclusion
Appendix
Index.

Subject Areas: Palaeontology [RBX]