Loess encounters of three kinds: Charles Lyell talks about, reads about, and looks at loess
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Date
2016-04
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Publisher
Instytut Geologii UAM
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Abstract
Charles Lyell (1797–1875) was an important loess pioneer. His major contribution was to distribute information on the
nature and existence of loess via his influential book ‘The Principles of Geology’. He was obviously impressed by loess
when he encountered it; the initial encounter can be split into three phases: conversations about loess; confronting the
actual material in the field; and reading about loess in the literature. Detail can be added to an important phase in the
scientific development of the study of loess. Significant events include conversations with Hibbert in 1831, conversations
and explorations with von Leonhard and Bronn in 1832, the opportunity to include a section on loess in vol. 3 of
‘Principles’ for publication in 1833, a substantial Rhineland excursion in 1833, the reporting of the results of this excursion
in 1834, discussions at the German Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Bonn in 1835. Of all
the people encountered perhaps H.G. Bronn was the most significant. Lyell eventually listed eleven people as relevant
to the loess writings: Bronn, von Leonhard, Boue, Voltz, Steininger, Merian, Rozet, Hibbert, Noeggerath, von Meyer,
Horner – of these Bronn, von Leonhard, Hibbert and Horner appear to have been the most significant, viewed from
2015.
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Keywords
Loess, loess history, Charles Lyell, Bronn and Horner
Citation
Geologos, 2016, 22, 1, pp.71-77.
ISBN
ISBN 978-83-232187-4-6