Plattenkalk is a very finely grained limestone

Limestone

Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....

 chemically precipitated in a stratified water column under conditions where bioturbation

Bioturbation

In oceanography, limnology, pedology, geology , and archaeology, bioturbation is the displacement and mixing of sediment particles and solutes by fauna or flora . The mediators of bioturbation are typically annelid worms , bivalves In oceanography, limnology, pedology, geology (especially...

 does not occur. The reasons for the quiet deposational environment and the processes of sediment accumulation vary greatly among different plattenkalks, but the lack of bioturbation contributes to the creation of thinly bedded, finely laminated, undisturbed limestones where exceptionally detailed fossils or imprints of organisms occur. The Solnhofen Plattenkalk in Bavaria

Bavaria

Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...

 is a famous example where complete skeletons of large marine vertebrates and impressions of soft-bodied animals have been found. Lithographic Limestone

Lithographic Limestone

Lithographic limestone is hard limestone that is sufficiently fine-grained, homogeneous and defect free to be used for lithography. Geologists use the term lithographic texture to refer to a grain size under 1/250 mm...

 is plattenkalk chosen for its suitable lithography

Lithography

Lithography is a method for printing using a stone or a metal plate with a completely smooth surface...

characteristics.