Abstract: The Campanian - Lower Maastrichtian Elazığ volcanic complex outcrops along the northern margin of the Bitlis suture in the Elazığ - Malatya region. A traverse from Sivrice to Elazığ reveals that it comprisesa large north dipping, internally imbricated thrust sheet composed of three units from base to top: 1. Gabbro, diabase, and basalt with siliceous intrusives metamorphosed to the lower greenschist facies, 2. Augite andesite volcanics and volcaniclastics with siliceous dikes metamorphosed to the prehnite - pumpellyite facies, 3. Unmetamorphosed andesite, hornblende andesite flows cut by mafic dikes, andesitic volcaniclastics, and pillow basalt cut bysiliceous dikes. The nature, distribution, and relative proportions of these lithologies suggest that the Elazığ volcanic complex represents a primitive ensimatic island arc.