major division of Pleistocene time and deposits in Alpine Europe, part of the classical geologic scheme demonstrating the importance of glaciation during the Pleistocene Epoch (1,600,000 to 10,000 years ago). The Mindel-Riss Interglacial is also known as the Great Interglacial; it has been held by some authorities that the Mindel-Riss lasted much longer than other interglacial periods, but this view has been strenuously questioned. The Mindel-Riss Interglacial Stage is correlated with the Hoxne Interglacial Stage of Great Britain and the Holstein Interglacial Stage of northern Europe. The Mindel-Riss is broadly equated with the Yarmouth Interglacial Stage of North America.