Introduction:
Red-colored sediments have always attracted the attention of geologists. A venerable opinion of long standing connects red beds with aridity, thus investing them with an important paleoclimatic significance. Red beds are rather extensive, forming, for instance, close to 15 per cent of the Paleozoic section in the Appalachian region. The red-bed problem has been extremely controversial, with marked differences of opinion, possibly due to the fact that the term "red bed" is a catch-all for many sedimentary types produced under different conditions, the only common feature of them being the red color.

Conclusions:
Most detrital red beds are formed under warm and moist climatic conditions, possibly in tropical savanna-type climates. There is no connection between red color and aridity, the contrary being true. Tectonically red beds are connected mostly with positive movements and frequently are related to strong orogenesis and subsequent peneplanation.

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