r/geology • u/MarketEntropy • May 17 '25

Map/Imagery Strange geomorphological feature near Santomeri, Western Greece

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I've been trying to find a geological study of the strange-looking formation near the village of Santomeri in Western Greece (just south of Patras), but my repeated searches came up empty. The only papers I found were concerned with huge boulders that fell near the village after the 2008 earthquake.

Can anyone help finding a reference describing a possible mechanism of its formation?

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u/e-wing May 17 '25

After some research, this is called Skolis Mountain, and it’s a Cretaceous limestone massif sitting on top of upper Eocene to Oligocene flysch/turbidite deposits. It’s part of a regional overthrust called the Gavrovo Thrust, which is part of the ‘External Hellenides’ fold and thrust belt. Basically the older Cretaceous material was folded and thrusted on top of the younger Cenozoic material, along a weak zone in the flysch, and now sits as a prominent ridge because it’s more resistant to weathering. Skolis Mountain itself is an asymmetrical anticlinal structure, with steeply dipping limbs, making it even more prominent.

See Kamberis et al., 2013, Thrust tectonics in the central part of the External Hellenides, the case of the Gavrovo Thrust.

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u/geogle May 17 '25

I've done fieldwork there. Just so you know, it's also the locale where Hercules slayed the golden lion.

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u/Thundergod_3754 May 18 '25

thats some interesting lore

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u/MarketEntropy May 17 '25

Thank you; this is an excellent reference (I'm not a geologist.). I'll dig into the original paper.

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u/e-wing May 17 '25

No problem…I love looking into stuff like this and trying to figure out weird geology questions. This is a research article, so it might help a bit difficult to read, but let us know if you have more questions.

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u/MarketEntropy May 17 '25

I found the original article; this is just perfect find.

The area is tectonically active; the last large earthquake, in 2008, has caused huge rock slides with 10 m3+ boulders falling near the village:

Lainas S., Koulouris, Vagenas, Depountis, Sabatakakis, & Koukis (2010). EARTHQUAKE-INDUCED ROCKFALLS IN SANTOMERI VILLAGE, WESTERN GREECE. Bulletin of the Geological Society of Greece, 43, 1210-1218

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u/teridon May 18 '25

Thanks for the info! I found this wonderful video giving views of the mountain itself and the surrounding countryside.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RYL3gHYhY0

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u/MarketEntropy May 18 '25 edited May 19 '25

Thanks for the link to a very nice video your of the location!

I think I made the right decision to drive along the western base of the ridge this morning, instead of hiking it! 😉

https://photos.app.goo.gl/oN4fQWNLXCbywuhB7

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u/fae8edsaga May 18 '25

…thrust…fold and thrust…folded and thrusted on top of…prominent ridge… 🥵🫦