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Where were Laurentia, Baltica, and Siberia located during the Cambrian Period?
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geologic history of Earth
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During the Cambrian Period, the paleocontinents of Laurentia, Baltica, and Siberia were separate landmasses following the fragmentation of the supercontinent Rodinia. Their approximate locations were as follows:12
- Laurentia: Paleomagnetic evidence indicates that this continent, comprising present-day North America and Greenland, was positioned over the paleoequator during most or all of the Cambrian.3
- Baltica: This continent, which included present-day Scandinavia and parts of western Europe, was located in middle to high southern latitudes.3
- Siberia: This landmass was situated as a separate continent in the low latitudes between Laurentia and the supercontinent Gondwana. Fossil evidence suggests it was positioned relatively close to the equatorial region of Gondwana.3
These geographic reconstructions are based on integrated geologic and biological evidence, including paleomagnetic data and the distribution of fossil faunal provinces.3