Structure of the Eastern Hellenides and emplacement of ophiolites. Field evidences

Our recent research in most areas of Eastern Hellenides has given following results:
   In Vourinos and Vermion, the ophiolites are in normal, not tectonic contact with their supporting layers (marbles of mostly upper Triassic age). This contact shows a typical thermal transformation with layers of hornstein, amphibolites and granatites. The directly underlying series shows progressive and clear evolution from a carbonate platform into a submarine environment with increasing volcanic influences, including pillow lava flows.
   In northern Pindos, at the ophiolitic overthrusted masses, outcrops of limestones are observed. Detailed analysis of these limestones showed that they are remainings of transgressions, their age determined by the microfauna as upper Campanian – early Maastrichtian. The limestone series ends upwards in a karstic surface supporting doleritic lava flows with essential thickness. In the locations of Tragopetra and Tzina we can observe that these lavas clearly intrude in the caves of the paleokarst. At the same section, over this lava formation can be found the basic conglomerate (Auversian) of the ''mesohellenic trench'' sediments. An important outcome of this is that there is no ocean floor before the overthrust but that land, with karstification of the limestones, was already emerged instead.
   In central Pindos, near Artotina, we observe ophiolite outcrops in the Pindos flysch with a transgression enclosing microfauna of the same age.
   In Euboea, a ''subpelagonian'' ophiolitic unit, with his underlying limestones, is overthrusted over a paleozoïc and mesozoïc continuous sedimentary succession (Eretria unit), but the contact is violently folded and characterized by a thick mylonite. This Eretria unit is the equivalent in South Euboea of the Styra unit and is overthrusted over a continental platform carbonate unit (Almyropotamos unit).
   In Argolide, we observe the same situation: an ophiolite unit, overthrusted over limestones and flysch with a mylonitic contact, with insertions of klippes of a continental slope unit (Pindos). Localy, the limestones are karstificated before the overthrust.
   As a conclusion of these observations we can state that we should respect the principle of actualism (James Hutton, Charles Lyell). Now, in present world, the geographic zones are large, extended: so was also in the past. The distinction of a (paleo) geographical zone must be based on the trend through geological times, not on local variations of sedimentation. Today, we observe a breaking up of geological units, due to more successive tectonic phases, not to a primary differentiation. Like this, already in Middle Cretaceous or even earlier, Tethys’s floor (ophiolites with effusive emplacement) was deformed and at least folded, and emerged. This emersion possibly characterizes also certain parts of African shelf. Immediately afterwards, ophiolites overthrust on the African shelf in an enormous movement, which drifted, fragmented and disintegrated the continental slope (Pindos unit, Eretria unit). This movement is accompanied also by proportional movement of the European-Asian mass. It is deformed in the scale of planet. It is obvious that this major movement was immediately followed by a phase of strongly, isoclinal folding, trending from SSW to NNE. The most obvious today (because latest) deformation during Late Eocene and Oligocene is the one which caused the actually observed main structural lines of the Hellenides.