U–Pb sensitive high resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) zircon geochronology, combined with REE geochemistry, has been applied in order to gain insight into the complex polymetamorphic history of the (ultra) high pressure [(U)HP] zone of Rhodope. Dating included a paragneiss of Central Rhodope, for which (U)HP conditions have been suggested, an amphibolitized eclogite, as well as a leucosome from a migmatized orthogneiss at the immediate contact to the amphibolitized eclogite, West Rhodope. The youngest detrital zircon cores of the paragneiss yielded ca. 560 Ma. This date indicates a maximum age for sedimentation in this part of Central Rhodope. The concentration of detrital core ages of the paragneiss between 670–560 Ma and around 2 Ga is consistent with a Gondwana provenance of the eroded rocks in this area of Central Rhodope. Metamorphic zircon rims of the same paragneiss yielded a lower intercept 206Pb/238U age of 148.8±2.2 Ma. Variable post-148.8 Ma Pb-loss in the outermost zircon rims of the paragneiss, in combination with previous K–Ar and SHRIMP-data, suggest that this rock of Central Rhodope underwent an additional Upper Eocene (ca. 40 Ma) metamorphic/fluid event. In West Rhodope, the co-magmatic zircon cores of the amphibolitized eclogite yielded a lower intercept 206Pb/238U age of 245.6±3.9 Ma, which is interpreted as the time of crystallization of the gabbroic protolith. The metamorphic zircon rims of the same rock gave a lower intercept 206Pb/238U age of 51.0±1.0 Ma. REE data on the metamorphic rims of the zircons from both the paragneiss of Central Rhodope and the amphibolitized eclogite of West Rhodope show no Eu anomaly in the chondrite-normalized patterns, indicating that they formed at least under HP conditions. Flat or nearly flat HREE profiles of the same zircons are consistent with the growth of garnet at the time of zircon formation. Low Nb and Ta contents of the zircon rims in the amphibolitized eclogite indicate concurrent growth of rutile. Based on the REE characteristics, the 148.8±2.2 Ma age of the garnet–kyanite paragneiss, Central Rhodope and the 51.0±1.0 Ma age of the amphibolitized eclogite, West Rhodope are interpreted to reflect the time close to the (U)HP and HP metamorphic peaks, respectively, with a good approximation. The magmatic zircon cores of the leucosome in the migmatized orthogneiss, West Rhodope, gave a lower intercept 206Pb/238U age of 294.3±2.4 Ma for the crystallization of the granitoid protolith of the orthogneiss. Two oscillatory zircon rims around the Hercynian cores, yielded ages of 39.7±1.2 and 38.1±0.8 Ma (2σ errors), which are interpreted as the time of leucosome formation during migmatization. The zircons in the leucosome do not show the 51 Ma old HP metamorphism identified in the neighboring amphibolitized eclogite, possibly because the two rock types were brought together tectonically after 51 Ma. If one takes into account the two previously determined ages of ca. 73 Ma for (U)HP metamorphism in East Rhodope, as well as the ca. 42 Ma for HP metamorphism in Thermes area, Central Rhodope, four distinct events of (U)HP metamorphism throughout Alpine times can be distinguished: 149, 73, 51 and 42 Ma. Thus, it is envisaged that the Rhodope consists of different terranes, which resulted from multiple Alpine subductions and collisions of micro-continents, rather similar to the presently accepted picture in the Central and Western Alps. It is likely that these microcontinents were rifted off from thinned continental margins of Gondwana, between the African and the European plates before the onset of Alpine convergence.
