Ragunda on an exclusive world heritage list

One of the one hundred designated geological heritage sites

Ragunda´s varves of clay was selected as one of a hundred geological heritage sites; sites of major importance for the development of geological science and the understanding of the history of Earth. The organisation behind The First 100 Heritage Sites is IUGS, International Union of Geological Sciences, one of the world’s largest scientific organisations.

The varves had been built up by the water from the melting inland ice sheet. They played an important role in the invention by geologist Gerard De Geer of “The Swedish Time Scale”, the first absolute means of measuring time through the dating of the layers of soil – the varves.

You can study varves of varying grain sizes at Remmarna. If you want to know more about De Geer and the varves of clay see Theme Scientific Breakthrough.

IUGS has published a book with the 100 sites. For a free download: The First 100 IUGS Geological Heritage Sites.