Introduction

The first and only lexicon collection of stratigraphic terms for the Sudan was gathered 32 years ago and published some time afterwards as part of the International Lexique series. In the past two decades there has been a considerable increase in the geological literature of the Sudan and these investigations have thrown up many new names for the stratigraphic and lithological units. Up to about 1970 most stratigraphic rock groups in Sudan were referred to as Series, but Whiteman revised much of the existing nomenclature applying the more appropriate term Group to many of the assemblages. Geologists working in the Sudan have been native speaking Sudanese and Egyptians, but also German, French, Russian and English speakers as well as a variety of mainly East Europeans. The definitive Bibliography of the geological sciences for the Sudan by Vail and Duggua should be referred to in conjunction with this lexicon.