The Miocene is the older Neogene epoch, approximately to million years ago.[ref]
International Chronostratigraphic Chart by International Commission on Stratigraphy (2026-06). Miocene row
Dating a rock to this interval places it before the Pliocene; interpreting the environment in which it formed additionally requires observations such as sedimentary rock structure, composition and fossils. An age label and an environmental reconstruction answer different questions. New to topics? Read the docs here!