<P> The last glacial period, popularly known as the Ice Age, was the most recent glacial period, which occurred from c. 110,000--c. 11,700 years ago . This most recent glacial period is part of a larger pattern of glacial and interglacial periods known as the Quaternary glaciation (c. 2,588,000 years ago to present). From this point of view, scientists consider this "ice age" to be merely the latest glaciation event in a much larger ice age, one that dates back over two million years and is still ongoing . </P> <P> During this last glacial period, there were several changes between glacier advance and retreat . The Last Glacial Maximum, the maximum extent of glaciation within the last glacial period, was approximately 22,000 years ago . While the general pattern of global cooling and glacier advance was similar, local differences in the development of glacier advance and retreat make it difficult to compare the details from continent to continent (see picture of ice core data below for differences). Approximately 13,000 years ago, the Late Glacial Maximum began . Around 11,700 years ago marked the beginning of the Holocene geological epoch, which includes the Holocene glacial retreat . </P>

When did the last ice age began and end