Detailed studies in five specially selected areas throughout Fennoscandia have shown that a pronounced ice-marginal bulge of the earth's crust took place in that region between ca. 13 000 and 9500 years B.P. During the deglaciation that followed, uplift was rapid initially, but after ca. 8000 years B.P. slowed down to a much lesser rate. Eustatic surges, identified by clear shorelines, were noted at ca. 9800, 7000 and 5000 years B.P. A similar pattern of crustal recovery occurred in Scotland with a phase of marginal bulging probably commencing ca. 14 000 years B.P. Only in Ireland were the oldest group of glacial shorelines found above present sea-level. Throughout northwest Europe the postglacial eustatic rise in sea-level was found to be oscillatory in character.