Abstract The oldest crust in the Ukrainian Shield occurs in the Podolian and Azov domains, which both include Eoarchaean components. U–Pb age data for Dniestr–Bug enderbites, Podolian Domain, indicate that these are c. 3.75 Ga old, and Lu–Hf isotope data indicate extraction from chondritic to mildly isotopically depleted sources with ɛ Hf up to c. +2. Nd model ages support their Eoarchaean age, while model ages for Dniestr–Bug metasedimentary gneisses indicate that these also include younger crustal material. Most of the Hf-age data for metasedimentary zircon from the Soroki greenstone belt, Azov Domain, reflects Eoarchaean primary crustal sources with chondritic to mildly depleted Hf isotope signatures at 3.75 Ga. A minor portion is derived from Mesoarchaean crust with a depleted ɛ Hf signature of c. +4 at 3.1 Ga. U–Pb zircon ages from Fedorivka greenstone belt metasediments are consistent with the Soroki age data, but also include a 2.7–2.9 Ga component. Nd whole rock model ages provide support for a younger crustal component in the latter. Both domains have been subject to Neoarchaean, c. 2.8 Ga, and Palaeoproterozoic, c. 2.0 Ga, metamorphism. The spatial distribution indicates that the Podolian and Azov domains evolved independently of each other before the amalgamation of the Ukrainian Shield.

Abstract The Ukrainian Shield is a large coherent region of exposed Archaean and Proterozoic crust in the southwestern, Sarmatian part of the East European Craton. It is traditionally divided into blocks, or domains, separated by major suture zones. The Azov Domain in the east and the Podolian Domain in the SW are Archaean complexes that have been highly reworked in the Palaeoproterozoic; in contrast, the Archaean (3.2–3.0 Ga) granite-greenstone terrane dominated Middle Dniepr Domain, in the central part of the Shield, is virtually untouched by Proterozoic processes. Palaeoproterozoic rocks dominate the Kirovograd domain in the central Shield. We review previous and recent geochronological results and demonstrate that the Volyn Domain and adjacent parts of the Ros-Tikich Domain in the NW are largely juvenile, c . 2.2-2.0 Ga segments of Palaeoproterozoic crust accreted to the Palaeo- to Mesoarchaean crust in the Podolian Domain. The Podolian Domain includes 3.65 Ga granitoids, with traces of 3.75 Ga material. It has been reworked, at 2.8 Ga and c . 2.0 Ga. Its temporal evolution is thus similar to that of the Azov Domain in the eastern part of the Shield. However, in view of the complex terrane pattern of Sarmatia, this does not necessarily mean that the Podolian and Azov domains were parts of the same continent in the Archaean.