Open AccessAn overview of the Santonian amber-bearing deposits of the Sainte-Baume Massif, southeastern France
Author(s) -
Camille Frau,
JeanPaul Saint Martin,
Simona Saint Martin,
Bruno Mazière
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
bulletin de la société géologique de france
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1777-5817
pISSN - 0037-9409
DOI - 10.1051/bsgf/2021005
Subject(s) - geology , massif , cretaceous , paleontology , ecological succession , sedimentary rock , imbrication , allochthon , archaeology , tectonics , nappe , ecology , biology , history
The Upper Cretaceous sedimentary succession cropping out in the Sainte-Baume Massif (Var, southeastern France) is of late Turonian to Campanian age. There, complex imbrication and rapid evolution in space and time of shallow-marine, fluvio-deltaic and lacustrine environments at the front of the North Provence Durancian uplift occur during the Santonian. Marly and/or sandy strata rich in lignite remains and amber grains are interspersed throughout the Santonian series. According to new in situ collections, the features of the amber grains, and their micro-inclusions, are similar to those found in well-known amber-bearing sites from the Bouches-du-Rhône department. This testifies of a widespread resin-producing tree forests in southeastern France at that time.