IS THE PAIKON MASSIF A TECTONIC WINDOW IN THE AXIOS-VARDAR ZONE (MACEDONIA, GREECE)

In the Axios-Vardar zone, the Paikon Massif cannot be a tectonic windo w under an ophiolitic nappe thrust from the Guevgueli ophiolitic massi f to the Pelagonian zone subsequent to the late Cretaceous. Indeed, st ratigraphical data demonstrate that the ophiolites were already in pla ce on the Pelagonian zone 30 Ma at least before they could have been t hrust over the Paikon late Cretaceous limestones. On the other hand, t he Malarupa-Tzena Massif is not a metamorphic nappe of Serbo-Macedonia n origin thrust over such an ophiolitic nappe. This is because mapping demonstrates that these ophiolites do thrust upon this massif.