Stratigraphic studies of Cenozoic (Tertiary-Pleistocene) sedimentary successions in the depressed areas of the Paraíba do Sul River middle valley (Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo states) and Doce River middle valley (Minas Gerais state) shed light on the occurrence of gravel beds and stone-lines related to sedimentary processes. Morphostratigraphic and allostratigraphic approaches were used for their recognition and subdivision. The gravel beds and stone-lines are commonly associated with smooth convex interfluves (paleo "rampa" complexes and/or re-featured fluvial terraces) that have undergone to topographic inversion. Most sedimentary successions are separated by gravel beds, which define erosive unconformities that subdivide the sucessions into allostratigrahic units composed of deeply weathered colluvial and alluvial deposits. Pedological studies show incomplete soil profiles truncated by the erosive unconformities. The gravel beds could be subdivided into three groups: a) clast-supported gravels (rounded to sub-rounded quartzose clasts, some lithics, moderately sorted, crudely stratified) related to ephemeral stream processes; b) matrix-supported gravels (sub-angular to sub-rounded quartzose clasts, sandy mud matrix, crudely stratified) related to gravity processes (debris flows); c) stone-lines (angular to sub-rounded quartzose clasts) interpreted as a rework of clast-supported gravel beds or possibly as lag deposits related to sheet flows that washed fines from previous debris flows deposits. The relationship between clast-supported gravel beds and stone-lines is evidenced by erosional features on the upper part of the gravel beds, where is observed a reshaping of the bed (concave-up to convex) and/or a lateral thinning (20-30cm to 5-10cm), that generates a stone-line. In cases where the allo-units directly overlie crystalline basement, the sedimentary origin of the gravel beds and stone-lines is supported by the clast roundness and the presence of lithic clasts, and by morphologic and stratigraphic relationships. Nevertheless, the high degree of weathering of the overlying deposits makes it very difficult to distinguish sedimentary features, which has led many authors to interpret them as autochthonous deposits.