The Gargano Promontory, a Neogene fold-and-thrust belt within the Adriatic plate

The Gargano Promontory lies on the Adriatic plate between the Dinaride and Apennine fold-and-thrust belts and associated foredeeps. Neogene sediments and structures in the Gargano Promontory demonstrate the existence of significant contractional structures which have not been reported previously. Beginning in early Miocene times, the future Gargano Promontory experienced shortening along NW-trending, mainly SW-vergent folds and thrusts. Deformation persisted until the Tortonian, and, most likely, until the Messinian. Limited NW-directed contraction affected the Promontory probably during Pliocene times. Morphological relief was minimal until the Messinian but from the middle Pliocene onwards, it was substantially similar to the present-day one partly as a consequence of extension along NE-SW-trending normal faults. The along-strike projection of kinematic relationships and quantities observed in the Gargano might call for a re-interpretation of previously underestimated structures NW and SE of the Promontory.