Hollow Tunnels
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Interior of one of SCP-XXXX's tunnels.

Item #: SCP-XXXX

Object Class: Keter Presumed Neutralized

Special Containment Procedures: Joint efforts between the Foundation and Greek, Turkish, and Libyan governments have been undergone in order to monitor SCP-XXXX. 14 undercover ocean liners keep watch throughout the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas for any possible breach of SCP-XXXX. Agents and other undercover personnel, disguised as local soldiers, are to monitor and guard SCP-XXXX's entrances. Any unauthorized personnel or civilians coming within a 500 meter radius of SCP-XXXX's entrances are to detained and questioned.

In the case of a XXXX-4 emergency, MTF Zeta-9 ("Mole Rats") are to be immediately sent into SCP-XXXX to subdue it. Any remaining biological matter is to be brought to Site-██ for examination. Any damaged electronic equipment in SCP-XXXX complexes are also to be repaired. Any and all cave-ins are to be closed off and monitored.

Civilians with knowledge of SCP-XXXX are to be monitored closely. If the subject exhibits signs of violence or harm related to SCP-XXXX, they will be detained and amnesticized. Additionally, if any creature escapes SCP-XXXX, several MTFs are to be sent out to kill and contain it.

All SCP-XXXX-1 items are to be kept in separate containment cells at Site-██. In the case of a containment breach, Site-██ is to be immediately shutdown till reinforcements have arrived.

Description: SCP-XXXX designates a series of subterranean tunnels and complexes beneath and around the island of Crete. Each tunnel extending beyond Crete appears to be man-made, though it is believed that the source of these extensions directly below Crete were not made by humans or naturally. Several caves and sinkholes are entrances to SCP-XXXX, which can be found on Crete, under the Mediterranean and Aegean Sea, the Cyclades (notably Naxos and Gyaros), Rhodes, and the Peloponnesus. Other areas that are theorized to have access to SCP-XXXX include Lycia and Cilicia in Anatolia, Cyprus, mainland Greece, and the northern coast of Africa (including Cyrene, the Nile Delta, and Giza Plateau).

Some entrances under the Libyan Sea have been blocked off and quarantined due to the spread of SCP-3391. Alternative entrances to SCP-XXXX have been dug by the Foundation to combat this in northern Libya, Sicily, Malta, and Egypt. Due to this digging and SCP-3391, SCP-XXXX’s walls and ceiling are closely monitored by the Foundation to prevent the possibility of sinkholes and/or cave-ins.

Most tunnels apart of SCP-XXXX are, by themselves, non-anomalous. Several anomalous items and artifacts (who’s abilities can be seen in Anomalous Item Analysis-XXXX below) have been recovered from these tunnels, which are mostly found in the caves directly below Crete and the Aegean block. These extracted items have been designated SCP-XXXX-1. Most SCP-XXXX-1 objects are figurines of humans and animals. Inscriptions on these objects indicate the influence of several cultures. Among the inscriptions, Linear A, Mycenaean Greek, Egyptian hieroglyphics, Hittite, Siwi script, and an unidentified, archaic form of Proto-Uralic have been found on SCP-XXXX-1 instances and SCP-XXXX’s walls.

Some areas of SCP-XXXX are architecturally advanced, indicative of Classical influence. These complexes are mostly made of finely chiseled stone bricks, with inscriptions of later writing systems such as Koine Greek, Phoenician, Latin, and Thracian. These complexes consist of labyrinths and traps of large magnitude. These traps are of varying design and complexity, but all indicate Greek origin. Complex gears, clockwork and pulley systems, and sound wave transmission devices compose most of the traps within the labyrinths. It is theorized that these complexes were containment cells of some sort, but what they contained is currently under debate. Complexes of note have been found under Heraklion on Crete, Gavdos Island, Naxos Island, Tripoli in Greece, and Shahat in Libya.

Locals within the vicinity of SCP-XXXX entrances are aware of its existence and anomalous properties. These are often isolated communities who have had a history with or are apart of the anomalous nature of SCP-XXXX. It is speculated SCP-XXXX has a memetic effect on those who are aware of its existence. This often manifests in the form of certain interests or dreams. Fascination with the occult, machinery, biology, and Minoan history simultaneously is usually indicative of the effects of SCP-XXXX. Even those who do not have any previous interest or knowledge in these subjects become infatuated with them after exposure to SCP-XXXX. Though SCP-XXXX’s possible memetic effects are most strongly observed in those within close proximity to SCP-XXXX. One such community is located in the countryside of western Crete. An interview was conducted with one of the local elders who is believed to have confidential information on SCP-XXXX and SCP-XXXX-1. This interview can be seen in Interview Document XXXX-1.

Several other details of SCP-XXXX and its properties include an abnormal amount of biological matter found within SCP-XXXX’s tunnels. Carbon dating and genetic analysis have concluded these biological structures and materials to be of separate but similar origin than areas of SCP-XXXX that are affected by SCP-3391. These structures, designated SCP-XXXX-2, are made primarily of bone and well-preserved tissue matter. They often contain altars of bone with inscriptions on them that indicate the ones who designed SCP-XXXX-2 are of non-Mediterranean origin and constructed the tunnels. SCP-XXXX-2 structures also contain at least three human bodies within their walls. These bodies are usually within the fetal position and show signs of vitality and consciousness, but are perpetually in dormant, coma-like states. Genetic analysis has shown that the SCP-XXXX-2 structures contain mostly human DNA of north Eurasian origin.

Addendum: SCP-XXXX was first discovered after several tremors and disappearances happened in the Aegean region. Greek governmental agents were sent on 29/10/1949 to Crete to investigate, in which they accidentally discovered SCP-XXXX. The Foundation arrived and was immediately under attack from [DATA EXPUNGED] was finally subdued. On 8/4/1987 was presumed neutralized after Expedition XXXX-3 which can be viewed in Expedition File XXXX-3.

The history of SCP-XXXX is believed to have dated back to the Upper Paleolithic when humans first started living in caves connected to SCP-XXXX. During the 3rd and 2nd millennia BC, it is believed that SCP-XXXX-1 objects were made and placed in SCP-XXXX. These objects were mostly of Minoan origin. Between 1400 B.C. and 900 B.C. is when most anomalous activity occurred within SCP-XXXX. Several unidentified groups from Anatolia are believed to have dug tunnels to Crete and used the island as a base to rush mainland Greece. This is when most SCP-XXXX-2 instances were placed. The island was soon after abandoned with few inhabitants from Anatolia remaining and having descendants on the island. Several Mekhanite churches were established during the Roman and Medieval periods, which were destroyed in the 19th century from an unknown cause. The majority of the Cretan population is unaware of SCP-XXXX’s anomalous effects save for the isolated communities descended from the Anatolian and Caucasian inhabitants.