Abstract Whole-rock Sm?Nd isotope systematics of 79 Archean granitoids from the eastern Kaapvaal craton, southern Africa, are used to delineate lithospheric boundaries and to constrain the timescale of crustal growth, assembly and geochemical differentiation c. 3.66?2.70?Ga. Offsets in εNd values for 3.2?3.3?Ga granitoids across the Barberton greenstone belt (BGB) are consistent with existing models for c. 3.23?Ga accretion of newly formed lithosphere north of the BGB onto pre-existing c. 3.66?Ga lithosphere south of the BGB along a doubly verging subduction margin. The Nd isotopic signature of c. 3.3?3.2?Ga magmatic rocks show that significant crustal growth occurred during subduction?accretion. After c. 3.2?Ga, however, the Nd signature of intrusive rocks c. 3.1 and 2.7?Ga is dominated by intracrustal recycling rather than by new additions from the mantle, signalling cratonic stability.

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