Carboniferous

The Carboniferous was a period of Earth history.

When a Fire-God entered the Doctor's TARDIS, it persuaded the TARDIS to go back in time to the "dawn of Earth" to experience the "pure elemental powers of creation". The TARDIS sank in the mud but returned to Wells Wood in response to built-in safety features. Observing the corals of the limestone, the Fifth Doctor dated the limestone to the Carboniferous Period, or around 500,000,000 BC. The impression of the TARDIS in the limestone was unearthed by quarry workers in the 1980s. (COMIC: The Stockbridge Horror)

The Seventh Doctor observed Carboniferous limestone in France in 1242. (PROSE: Sanctuary)

Behind the scenes
In actuality, the Carboniferous was 298,900,000 to 358,900,000 years ago. 500,000,000 years ago was the Cambrian era.