Ewolucja europejskiej kartografii geologicznej do początku XX w.

The first geological maps were created in Europe in the seventeenth century and their prototypes were geognostic as well as petrographic maps. They were prepared by experts coming from many countries. Their activity was based on experience resulting from observations and analysis. The development of the geological cartography was definitely due to the activity of Abraham G. Werner, as he and many of his students at Bergakademie in Freiberg adopted a set of unified rules of preparing such maps. Major changes occurred in 1815 when William Smith developed a geological map of England that was based on the principles of stratigraphic division. We owe further development of the discipline both to the activity of geologists in particular countries and joint projects implemented thanks to the international geological congresses. In 1881, during the congress in Bologna, the scientists established a set of rules for the implementation of international geological map of Europe. It should be pointed out that the development of the European geological cartography took place when concepts of neptunism and plutonism were formed and these gave an opportunity to shape the rules of uniformitarianism. Over time, geological maps became more and more unified. Also more and more information for various cognitive and economic reasons was introduced to them.