Peltier's <1994> paleobathymetries are used to investigate tides and corresponding balances of torques of the world ocean since the last glacial maximum 21,000 years before present. Simulations with a numerical tidal model point out that variable ice loads at the Earth's surface and rearrangements in the interior led to considerable modifications of the resonance behavior of the oceans. Associated evident changes of the tidal range were not confined to the vicinity of formerly ice-covered areas. In contrast to the tidal oscillation system that was subject to almost uniform changes since the beginning of ice retreat, the dissipation rate of the M2 tide increased distinctly during the principal melting time from 15 to 8 kyr B.P. and reached a local extreme eight thousand years ago though surface and volume of the world ocean were already very similar to present conditions. Postglacial deformations during the following two thousand years caused the decrease of tidal dissipation from the maximum value to the present-day level, indicating the sensibility of tidal torques and dissipation rates to comparatively small variations of ocean's geometry. Since the vicinity of the tidal oscillation system to a resonance situation is more decisive with respect to total dissipation than the extension of shelves where most of the tidal dissipation is expected to take place, states of extreme dissipation rates do not necessarily coincide with extreme bathymetric conditions. ¿ 1999 American Geophysical Union