Abstract: Sedimentary rocks are the main rock type that constitutes the Earth's surface. During centuries a large amount of sedimentological data have been accumulated and in the meanwhile comprehensive sedimentological databases, such as Macrostrat, have established. With the rapid growth of data in all aspects of geology including sedimentology, as well as great breakthroughs in data integration and analysis technology, it is possible to employ big-data analysis methods to explore the deep-time sedimentary process from a global perspective. The currentpaper introduces the main sedimentological databases, and analyzes their structure in detail. The innovative working mode of Macrostrat database is deciphered aiming to provide valuable experience for the sedimentological database in the Deep-time Digital Earth (DDE) Big Science Program. The database will be multi-disciplinary, multi-scaled, multi-leveled and opensource. Several study cases of employing big data analysis to solve scientific questions are also introduced here.

Key words: Macrostrat, big data, database, evolution of sediments, sedimentology