Palaeomagnetic investigations have been carried out on Tethyan sediments from the NW Zanskar Range (33.9 degrees N, 76.5 degrees E). A total of 455 oriented samples from 41 sites were drilled from four stratigraphic units of Middle Cretaceous to Early Eocene age (Shillakong Formation, Marpo Limestone/Spanboth Formation, Stumpata Quartzarenite/Spanboth Formation, Kong Formation). A characteristic remanence (ChRM) could be isolated for 27 sites (254 specimens) through detailed thermal and alternating field demagnetization and multicomponent analysis. All the ChRM directions identified are similar, irrespective of geological age. They fail the fold test and yield an overall in situ mean direction of D = 336.6 degrees/I = +39.6 degrees with alpha(95) = 5.9 degrees and k = 22.9. This corresponds to a palaeopole position at 66.5 degrees N, 323.5 degrees E (N-pole). Isothermal remanence (IRM) acquisition and thermal demagnetization of a saturation IRM identify pyrrhotite as the dominant ferrimagnetic mineral and carrier of the ChRM. The pyrrhotite remanence is probably a thermoremanent magnetization acquired when the temperature of low-grade metamorphism decreased below about 300 degrees C. The ChRM directions are thus clearly secondary in origin, and a negative conglomerate test carried out on the Kong Formation demonstrates that remanence acquisition post-dates the Early Eocene. The mean ChRM inclination suggests that the remanence was acquired at about 20 degrees N. Cooling events in the higher Himalayan crystallines indicate an Oligocene age for this remanence acquisition. The mean ChRM declination shows a counterclockwise rotation of 23.4 degrees since remanence acquisition. Assuming remanence acquisition at about 30 Myr ago, a slight counterclockwise rotation of about 10 degrees relative to the stable Indian Plate can be concluded. This does not fit with the general pattern of palaeomagnetic results from neighbouring areas within the western syntaxis of the Himalaya, from which a clockwise rotation relative to the stable Indian Plate is expected for the Zanskar Range.
