Identifying past earthquakes on carbonate faults: Advances and limitations of the 'Rare Earth Element' method based on analysis of the Spili Fault, Crete, Greece

► REE-Y method applied for first time on carbonate fault of unknown rupture history. ► Presence of organic-rich soil generates fluctuations in REE-Y content upscarp. ► The wavelength of each fluctuation is attributed to at least one paleoearthquake. ► Small-sized or clustered earthquakes not resolved; identified events a minimum. ► Large (> 20 km) faults that rupture every ≥ 0.5 kyr best candidates for the method.