The Arctic Home in the Vedas c5.24

c5.24

But in spite of these remarks, it cannot be doubted that the duration of the Glacial period, comprising at least two Glacial and one Inter-Glacial epoch, must have been very much longer than that of the Post-Glacial period. For independently of the eccentricity of the earth’s orbit, the occurrence of winter at aphelion is by itself sure to contribute to the production of the Ice Age, if other causes and circumstances, either those suggested by Lyell or others, are favourable, and 21,000 years must elapse between two successive occurrences of winter at aphelion. For two Glacial epochs with an intervening Inter-Glacial period, we must, therefore, allow a period longer than 21,000 years, even if the question of the eccentricity of the earth’s orbit be kept aside; while if, with Prof. Geikie, we suppose that there were five Glacial ( four in the Pleistocene and one at the close of the Pliocene period ) and four Inter-Glacial epochs the duration must be extended to something like 80,000 years.