Ophiolites are distinctive sequences of rock, typically capped by sediments followed by basic rocks (pillow lavas, sheeted dykes, and gabbro) followed by ultramafics (eg. dunite).
Although the exact emplacement process has evolved over time, these are generally recognized as pieces of ocean crust which have been "obducted" onto continents.
How and when was it realized that ophiolites could be explained as pieces of ocean crust?