The Namib has been considered both a 'young' and an 'old' desert. We have reviewed the literature and present here an outline for further discussion on this topic, which has been influenced by our field experience in the Namib. Keywords: Namibia, Namib Desert, Kuiseb River, Acanthosicyos horrida, arid environment, arid zone, aridity, palaeoclimate, Quaternary, desert geology, geomorphology, climate change, sedimentation.