Three reddish granites from the Gneiss Complex of south-western Sweden have been dated with the U-Pb and one of them also with the Rb-Sr method. The Gneiss Complex consists of two mega-units separated by a tectonic discontinuity. The two granites from the western mega-unit (»the Western Gneiss Segment«) yield zircon upper-intercept ages of 1552 −36 +38 and 1499 −36 +36 Ma (2σ). These ages are minimum estimates of the intrusion ages, but the difference between the obtained and the true age is probably small. This assumption is based on studies of the morphology and internal structures of the zircons and also on air abrasion experiments. The third granite is located in the eastern mega-unit (the »Eastern Gneiss Segment«) and forms a number of small massifs, 50 m in diameter. The U-Pb and Rb-Sr ages agree within the limits of the errors — 1140 −52 +54 Ma (upper intercept) and 1104 ± 100 Ma, respectively — but the obtained age is nevertheless dubious. Thin-section studies reveal that the zircons are heterogeneous with different types of material making up the inner and outer parts. Electron-microscopic studies as well as air abrasion and leaching experiments were performed to establish possible differences in age and chemistry between the inner and outer parts. The central parts are made up of almost pure ZrSiO4 whereas the outer parts are layered with alternating pure ZrSiO4 layers and layers rich in trace elements. The leaching and air abrasion data do not indicate any age difference between the inner and outer parts. This supports the validity of the upper-intercept age as an intrusion age. The Rb-Sr age is questionable since the obtained initial87Sr/86Sr ratio is as low as 0.7027. This cannot possibly be true for a felsic, late Proterozoic granite. A plausible explanation could be a rotation of the isochron due to migration of Rb and Sr during a low-grade event. This event is also responsible for the alteration of the biotites and plagioclases. These data provide additional evidence for extensive ensialic magmatism in the period succeeding the lithosphere-forming event.