The Geological History of Egypt and of The Red sea in particular

Öz

The geological history of Egypt is a very complex but most fascinating story which starts at least 1000 million years ago in the Pre-Cambrian. In order to give the complete history it would be necessary to discuss both the macrostratigraphical and the micro-paleontological conditions in Egypt. However, in view of the limited time available, I shall have to restrict myself to the macrostratigraphy only and in particular to the lithological aspects of Egyptian stratigraphy.

Due to the complicated tectonic structure of Egypt and the sedimentation in different, often separated basins, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to give a brief summary of the lithological characteristics of the different geological periods in Egypt. Since 1897 considerable reconnaissance work has been done by the Geological Survey in Egypt (1. 2, 3, 4, 8), but verv accurate detail surface mapping in Mesozoic and younger beds started much later, in combination with extensive drilling for oil by the Standard Oil Co. of Egypt, Anglo-Egyptian Oilfields (Royal Dutch Shell) and the Socony Vacuum Oil Co. Their studles increased our knowledge about the post-Paleozoic rocks tremendously, in particular during the last 10 years. But unfortunately most of these latter data are kept secret by the different oil companies. The summary given here represents therefore only a compilation of facts known from published data, personal observations during 1937-1940 and 1947-1949 and finally verbal informations received from a great number of oil geologists of the Socony Vacuum Oil Co., Anglo Egyptian Oilfields (Shell) and the Standard Oil Of Egypt. Still this compilation gives far from a complete picture of the present geological knowledge of Egypt.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Egypt,Geological History

Mısır ve bilhassa Kızıldenizin jeolojik tarihçesi

Öz

Mısırdaki strüktürel durumun kompleks olması, teressüplerin başka başka havzalara ait bulunması muhtelif jeolojik katlardaki sahraların litolojik karakterlerini hülâsaten vermesi güç yapmaktadır. Mısır’da 1897 denberi Mısır Jeoloji Enstitüsü tarafından bir çok işler görülmüş olmakla beraber Mesozoik ve daha genç sahaların dakik hartaları petrol kumpanyaları tarafından yapılan faaliyetle başlar. Bu hususda bilhassa son on sene zarfında büyük terakkiler kaydedilmişse de maalesef bu malûmatın çoğu kumpanyaların arşivlerinde mahfuz bulunmaktadır. Bu konuşmada verilen bilgi 1937-1940-1947 ve 1949 senelerinde yapılan şahsi incelemelerle Mısır'da çalışan bir çok jeologlarla yaptığım şahsî temaslara istinad etmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Mısır, Jeolojik tarihçe,Kızıldeniz

Kaynakça

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2. BALL, J. Geography and geology of W. Central Sinai. (Cairo, 1916).
3. BARRON, T. and HUME, W. F. Topography and geology of the Eastern Desert of Egypt, Central Portion (Cairo, 1902).
4. BARRON, T. The topography and geology of the Peninsula of Sinai, Western Portion (Cairo 1907).
5. CLOOS, H. Zur Mechanik grosser Bruche und Graben (Zentralbl. f. Min., 19B2, Abt. B, p. 273-286).
6. CLOOS, H. Über antithetische Bewegungen (Geol. Rundschau 19, 1928, p. 246-251).
7. CLOOS, H. Einführung in die Geologie (1936).
8. HUME, W. F. Geology of Egypt. Vol. I: The surface features of Egypt, their determining causes and relation to geological struct-ure (Cairo, 1925). Vol. II: The fundamental pre-Cambrian rocks of Egypt and the Sudan, their distribution, age and character (part I : The metamorphic rocks, Cairo 1934, part II: The Iater plutonic and minor intrusive rocks, Cairo 1935, part III; The minerals of economic value, Cairo 1937).

9. HUME, W. F. Die Bruchzonen Ost Afrikas (1922).
10. SCHÜRMANN, H. E. Das Grundgebirge des nordlichen Teils des Ostlichen Arabischen Wüste ^egyptens (Geol. Rundschau, Heft 4/6, Bd. 33, p. 363-399, 1942i.
11. TABER, St. Fault troughs (Journ. of Geol. vol. 35, no. 7, 1927, p. 577-606).
12. TROMP, S. W. On the raechanism of geological undulation phenomena and of folding in particular and their application to the problem of the <> (Sijthoff's Publ. Co., Leiden, Holland, 1937).
13. TROMP, S. W. Das Gesetz von Helmholtz und seine Anwendung auf Geotektonik (Zeitschr. f. Geoph., Jahrg. 13, Heft 2 5, 1937, p. 78-87).
14. TROMP, S. W. The value of generic determination in miero-stratigraphy (Geologie en Mijnbouw, Holland, no. 8, p. 202 -204, August 1939).
15. TROMP, S. W. The value of quantitative data in micro-stratigraphy (Journ. of Pal, vol. 14, no. 4, p, 379-381, July 1941)).
16. TROMP, S. W. New experiments on fault-tectonics and ‘’Helmholtz’’ folding (Geologie en Mijnbouw, Holland, March 1941, no. 3, p. 65-72;.
17. TROMP, S. W. Preliminary eompilation of the stratigrapby, structural features and oil possibilitles of S.E. Turkey and a comparison with neighbouring areas (M.T.A. Bull , Ankara, seri A, no. 4, 1941, with 6 charts of which one showing micro-fauna of Mesozoic and Tertiary sections of Turkey, one of Egypt and one chart giving a comparison between micro-faunae of the Cretaceous-Eocene transition zone in the Middle East.
18. TROMP, S. W. Micro-faunae of the Upper Cretaceous and Tertiary section (Arabian facies) in the Urfa and Gaziantep regions (S. Turkey) (M.T.A, Bull. sene 8, sayı 1'29, Ankara, 1943, p. 134-141).
19. TROMP, S. W. A tentative classification of the main structural units of the Anatolian orogenic belt (Journ. of Geol, vol. 55, no. 4, July 4947, p 362-377).
20. TROMP, S. W. The value of Globigerinidae ratios in stratigraphy' (Journ. of Pal., vol. 23, March 1949. p. 223-224.
21. TROMP, S. W. Additional information on the so-called *Middle Tertiary Orbulina Surface> (The micro-paleontologist 1949)
22. TROMP, S. W. Block-folding phenomena in the Middle East (Geologie en Mijnbouw, Sept. 1949, no. 9, p. 273-27S, Holland).
23. TROMP, S. W. The determination af the Cretaceous-Eocene boundaiy by means of quantitative, generic micro-faunal determinations and the conception ‘’Danian’’ in the Near East (Journ. of Ral. 1949, vol. 23, no. G, p. G73-678).