Hercynian

Hercynian, her-sin′i-an, adj. of or pertaining to the forest-covered mountain region of northern Germany—apart the Harz Mountains.

Already at the beginning of the Christian era the name Germans was applied by the Romans and Gauls to the many clans of people whose main habitation was the extensive territory east of the Rhine, and north of the forest-clad Hercynian Mountains.

Moreover, the marked Permian ice age follows long after the birth of the Hercynian Mountains and before the rise of others of later Permian origin.

The mountain chain which extends through Central Germany from the Main to the Elbe was called by the Romans the Hercynian Forest.

The two arcs together, which were undoubtedly formed at the same period, have been named by Bertrand the Hercynian chain.