The Zanclean is the lowest stage or earliest age on the geologic time scale of the Pliocene.

The Zanclean can be correlated with regionally used stages, such as the Opoitian of New Zealand,[6] and the Tabianian or Dacian of Central Europe.

It also corresponds to the late Hemphillian to mid-Blancan North American Land Mammal Ages.

The base of the Zanclean (and the Pliocene Series) lies with the top of magnetic chronozone Cr3 (about 100,000 years before the Thvera normal subchronozone C3n.4n).

The GSSP for the Zanclean is in the vicinity of the ruins of the ancient city of Heraclea Minoa on Sicily, Italy.