Stratigraphy The German term
Buntsandstein is used to describe a lithostratigraphic rock unit that consists largely of interbedded sand-, silt- and claystones. These lithologies were sedimented in a large basin covering an area equivalent to that lying between
England and
Poland in a west-east direction and
Scandinavia and
Switzerland in the north-south direction. The Dahner Felsenland (Dahn Rockland) is dominated by sandstones that were deposited during the Early Buntsandstein, about 252.2 until 249 Ma before present. This succession - that also forms the Devil’s Table – is locally known as the Rehberg Formation, which is stratigraphically equivalent to the
Bernburg Formation of the Central
Germanic Basin.
Lithologic description The circa 150 m thick Rehberg Formation is characterised by alternating hard sandstones – so called “rock zones” and less resistant sandstones referred to as “thin layers“. The
provenance area of the sediment was the Gallic land, which bordered the
Buntsandstein basin to the west. This uplifted source area stretched from today’s
Belgium to the
Massif Central in
France.
Formation of the Devil’s Table The Rehberg Formation commonly forms table rock formations such as the Devil’s Table. The siliceous harder rock zones lie on top of the softer thin layers, that are more susceptible to weathering and erosion. The tabletop-like blocks protect the remaining pillars of less resistant material from further erosion. The shape of the Devil’s Table and its thin pillars is defined by preexisting fractures at the upper and lower end of the tabletop. The natural monument of the „Devil’s Table“ represents an important landmark of the
Palatinate Forest and was classified as a „National Geotope“ in 2006. In the surrounding are, there are numerous impressive rock formations in the Dahn Rockland, which are also worth a visit! == References ==