The Beaufort Group is the third of the main subdivisions of the Karoo Supergroup of geological strata in Southern Africa. It follows conformably after the Ecca Group and consists essentially of sandstones and shales, deposited in the Karoo Basin from the Middle Permian to the early part of the Middle Triassic Periods. From earliest to latest (descending age order) these are: The Beaufort Group deposits also yield numerous plant and insect fossils.