The Argille Varicolori Unit of Lucania (Italy): a record offscraping and gravity sliding in the Mesozoic-Tertiary Lagonegro Basin, southern Apennines

Detailed geological mapping and new stratigraphic and structural data collected in the Lucania area of the southern Apennines allowed us to assess the deformation history of 11 Monte-Corleto Perticara zone, in the High Agri Valley (Lucanian Apennines, southern Italy) where red and green shales (known as Argille Varicolori or Argille scagliose) crop out. Our observations suggest that: (1) 'chaotic' facies within the Argille Varicolori may be attributed to a broken formation generated by overthrusting of Apenninic Platform units onto already deformed Lagonegro basin strata; (2) gravity sliding phenomena at the thrust front enhanced the development of debris flow and the emplacement of olistos…