Amanz Gressly (17 July 1814 – 13 April 1865) was a Swiss

geologist A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid, liquid, and gaseous matter that constitutes Earth and other terrestrial planets, as well as the processes that shape them. Geologists usually study geology, earth science, or geophysics, althou ...

and

paleontologist Paleontology (), also spelled palaeontology or palæontology, is the scientific study of life that existed prior to, and sometimes including, the start of the Holocene epoch (roughly 11,700 years before present). It includes the study of fossi ...

. He introduced the use of the term

facies In geology, a facies ( , ; same pronunciation and spelling in the plural) is a body of rock with specified characteristics, which can be any observable attribute of rocks (such as their overall appearance, composition, or condition of formatio ...

geology Geology () is a branch of natural science concerned with Earth and other Astronomical object, astronomical objects, the features or rock (geology), rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology ...

, and is considered one of the founders of modern

stratigraphy Stratigraphy is a branch of geology concerned with the study of rock layers ( strata) and layering (stratification). It is primarily used in the study of sedimentary and layered volcanic rocks. Stratigraphy has three related subfields: lithost ...

and paleoecology. He initially studied medicine at

Strasbourg Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label= Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label= Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the ...

, but his interest subsequently switched to geology, and from 1836 onward, he worked as an assistant to Louis Agassiz. In 1838 he published ''Observations géologiques sur le Jura Soleurois'' (Geological observations involving the Solothurn Jura), in which he introduced the "concept of facies" to describe the environments and conditions of the origin of

sedimentary rock Sedimentary rocks are types of rock that are formed by the accumulation or deposition of mineral or organic particles at Earth's surface, followed by cementation. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause these particles ...

s based on their petrographic attributes and fossil affiliations.Gressly, Amanz
at Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz From 1853 he served as a geologist during the construction of rail tunnels through the Jura Mountains. In 1859 he was sent by

Eduard Desor Eduard Model Accessories is a Czech manufacturer of plastic models and finescale model accessories. Formed in 1989 in the city of Most, Eduard began in a rented cellar as a manufacturer of photoetched brass model components. Following the suc ...

to Cette on the Gulf of Lyon in order to investigate the mode of life of marine organisms, and in 1861, with

Carl Vogt August Christoph Carl Vogt (; 5 July 18175 May 1895) was a German scientist, philosopher, popularizer of science, and politician who emigrated to Switzerland. Vogt published a number of notable works on zoology, geology and physiology. All h ...

and others, he embarked on a scientific expedition that took him to the North Cape,

Jan Mayen Jan Mayen () is a Norwegian volcanic island in the Arctic Ocean with no permanent population. It is long (southwest-northeast) and in area, partly covered by glaciers (an area of around the Beerenberg volcano). It has two parts: larger ...

and

Iceland Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its ...

. Since 2004 the Swiss Paleontological Society has awarded the ''Amanz-Gressly-Auszeichnung'' for outstanding achievements in the field of paleontology.Amanz Gressly-Auszeichnung
Naturwissenschaften Schweiz

References

* Alfred Hartmann: ''Amanz Gressly.'' In: Gallerie berühmter Schweizer der Neuzeit; Bd. 1. Baden: Friedrich Hasler, 1868. * Hugo Ledermann: ''Die wissenschaftliche Bedeutung von Amanz Gressly.'' In: Jurablätter; 27(1965), S. 70–72. * Hans R. Stampfli: ''Amanz Gressly, 1814-1865: Lebensbild eines außerordentlichen Menschen.'' Separatdruck aus: Mitteilungen der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft des Kantons Solothurn; 32(1986). Dazu erschienen: Ergänzungen und Korrekturen, 1993. {{DEFAULTSORT:Gressly, Amanz 19th-century Swiss geologists 1814 births 1865 deaths Swiss paleontologists People from the canton of Solothurn