The primordial sea, or primordial ocean, is a term applied collectively to the oceans of the earth at a time early in its history. The term generally implies either the time before or during the development of multi-cellular life forms (i.e., during the Precambrian), or alternatively before the development of the first land-based life forms (i.e. during the early Paleozoic).

The term primordial ooze is often invoked to imply the primordial sea in a more metaphorical or poetic sense. The primordial soup refers to a particular set of models of the origin of life, but may also be used in a metaphorical sense.

In literature and theology, the term is generally taken to be synonymous with the waters of creation, as described in Genesis 1:6-10 (source from Revised Standard Version (http://wyllie.lib.virginia.edu:8086/perl/toccer-new?id=RsvGene.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=01&division=div1)).

See also

• geologic timescale

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