Abstract: Fault throw profile (TH plot) plots vertical fault throw versus geologic or seismic horizon from a cross section. Conceptual models demonstrate that the profiles can be used to determine the styles, timing of initiation, and kinematic histories of normal faults and simply inverted normal growth faults. A throw profile comprising a vertical line segment indicates a simple postdepositional fault. A profile in which throw decreases as horizon age increases indicates a simple postdepositional keystonestretching fault. A profile in which throw increases as horizon age increases indicates a simple growth fault. Major inflections in a composite profile correspond to the time at which fault style changes. The change of a vertical line segment to a curve with negative slope indicates the change from postdepositional to syndepositional faulting. Stacking of such composite profiles suggests repeated fault burial and rejuvenation. The change of a profile slope from positive to negative indicates change from a postdepositional keystonestretching fault to a growth fault. The maximum throw in the profile corresponds to the start timing of the fault. Local normal drag increases apparent throw, which creates bumps in the profile. Reverse drag decreases the apparent throw, which creates dents in the profile.