Early History/ Contents

The Pleistocene or Ice Age period

Kamaludin bin Hassan

The epoch from about 1.6 million years ago to about 10,000 years ago is known as the Pleistocene. Also referred to as the Ice Age, it is characterized by extended cold periods known as glacials, alternating with warmer stages, or interglacials. Pleistocene climatic changes in Malaysia are documented from both local and global studies using sedimentary evidence, fossils, and oxygen isotope records.

  • Information in the full article includes
  • Pollen records as climatic indicators
  • Sea level records as glacial indicators
  • Climate evidence in the deep sea
Stone tool

The 34,000-year-old site of Kota Tampan where this stone tool was found was much further from the sea than at present as the sea level then was at least 80 metres lower at present.