Item #: SCP-2955
Object Class: Euclid
Special Containment Procedures: Provisional Containment Area-846 is to be constructed around SCP-2955, and is currently disguised as an Argentinean military installation. Area-846 is to be staffed by members of Mobile Task Force Zeta-9 ("Mole Rats"). No personnel are allowed to approach, directly observe, or conduct sample extractions on SCP-2955. All observations on SCP-2955 are to be conducted via satellite imaging and remote surveillance. The usage of Helios-class aerial surveillance drones to monitor SCP-2955 is prohibited.
In the event of a transmigration event, MTF-Z-9 is to track down SCP-2955 and identify the next location in which it will resurface. Once verified, Area-846 is to be rebuilt over the newly identified location. Foundation agents embedded in the governments of affected nations are to maintain the cover story of an earthquake during each transmigration event.
Description: SCP-2955 refers to a collection of granular particles, capable of autonomous movement. An exact total number of SCP-2955 instances cannot be verified, partly due to their anomalous properties. Current estimations suggest there are at least 4,000,000 such instances.1
Individual instances of SCP-2955 have a measured diameter of 15 mm on average. Samples taken indicate that SCP-2955 is composed of a mixture of tumbaga2 and silica. SCP-2955 typically takes the shape of a pavement laid out over an approximate land area of 8 km2, and a collection of Pueblo great houses clustered within the area. The architecture is consistent with dwellings of the Pueblo II Era.3 However, no openings are found in the structures inside SCP-2955.
SCP-2955 will only move (referred to as a transmigration event) when portions of it are extracted forcefully or when it is directly observed by the following:

Human beings
Helios-class aerial surveillance drone (as of 08/07/2008)

The transmigration event is marked by seismic activity occurring in SCP-2955's vicinity. SCP-2955 will then disassemble itself and seep into the ground. Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) indicates that SCP-2955 instances typically move along multiple files when underground, vibrating themselves as a means of motion and coordinating their movements underground. After a period of time of at least 2 weeks,4 SCP-2955 instances will resurface and reassemble themselves, preferring locations that are devoid of any pre-existing human settlements. When reformed, the positions of all structures in SCP-2955 remain unchanged.
SCP-2955 was originally classified as an Extra-normal Event (EE-72806), due to unsubstantiated evidence of its existence initially. Below is the documentation of EE-72806.

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Event Description: A "golden city" of Pueblo origin was sighted by an archaeological team researching on Incan History, which was seemingly destroyed by a magnitude 8.0 earthquake that occurred shortly after it was identified by team members. No debris of said "city" were found onsite.
Date of Occurrence: 15/08/2007
Location: Ica Region, Peru
Follow-up Action: No cognitohazardous or memetic infection were identified among the members of the archaeological team. Class A amnestics were administrated to them afterwards. The area is to be put under observation for a period of 1 year.

After a similar sighting and seismic event in Gorgona Island, Colombia on 09/09/2007, it was determined to be another instance of EE-72806 and the anomaly was reclassified as SCP-2955. Below is a catalogue of known locations SCP-2955 has appeared in, since its discovery by the Foundation.

Reference Date
Location
Description

15/08/2007
Ica Region, Peru
First known sighting of SCP-2955; initially classified as EE-72806.

09/09/2007
Gorgona Island, Colombia
Second known sighting of SCP-2955; identified by a park ranger from Gorgona Natural National Park. Transmigration event occurred afterwards, triggering a magnitude 6.2 earthquake and SCP-2955 vanished at the end of the event. Anomaly reclassified as SCP-2955.

16/12/2007
Antofagasta Province, Chile
As per Dr. Rodriguez's suggestion,5 Helios-class aerial drones were dispatched to survey SCP-2955. Transmigration event triggered when drones began collection of samples from SCP-2955, triggering a magnitude 6.7 earthquake. SCP-2955 vanished post-event. GPR detected movement of SCP-2955 instances underground.

08/07/2008
Arequipa Region, Peru
Helios-class aerial drones deployed to survey SCP-2955. Transmigration event apparently triggered by the presence of the drones, triggering a magnitude 6.2 earthquake. SCP-2955 vanished post-event. GPR detected movement of SCP-2955 instances underground.

13/03/2009
Mendoza Province, Argentina
Current location of SCP-2955; its location initially verified via satellite imaging, remote observation and GPR. Construction of Area-846 around SCP-2955 began.

Addendum 2955-1: Upon cross-referencing SCP-2955's description, multiple historic accounts of it have been identified. The excerpts listed below are translated to English. For a complete collation of historic accounts, refer to Document 2955-Alpha.

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The following excerpts are derived from the log of Friar Marcos de Niza, a Franciscan monk involved in the Coronado Expedition.6

…source of the New World's riches – grandiose cities of gold, which the heathens avert their gaze for fear of their wrath. How foolish and typical of the natives to not recognise the value of gold. According to the Zuni, one of them is located by the river Nexpa…

…dispatched a scouting party to Nexpa. At nightfall, tremors are reported. The natives are in hysteria, wildly proclaiming it to be the wrath of their idols…

…no survivors from the scouting party. The corpses of the scouts and their horses lay around a pit in the ground, by the river Nexpa. There is no gold by that river…

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The following excerpt is derived from the journal of Father Jose Gracia Alsue, during his 1766 expedition to Aisén, Chile in search for the mythical City of the Caesars.

…dwellings are of gold and unlike the dwellings of the Incas, who were the former powers of the Andeans. Oddly, they are said to resemble those of the Pueblos north of New Spain. It is certainly odd for the Pueblos to have such reach in the New World, but such claims are mere…

Every time we think we may finally observe this golden city, earthquakes would herald it retreating from our eyes. Verily is the moniker "Wandering City" justified, for it is never at the same place twice…

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The following excerpt is derived from a transcription of a Zuni shaman from New Mexico, USA.

Clear the land for the golden city,
and revere it as a guest of the land.
In time, the golden city offers its gratitude
and its ornaments to the hosts of the land.

Addendum 2955-2: While inside SCP-2955, aerial drones were able to detect low frequency (<20 Hz) Rayleigh waves emitting constantly from SCP-2955. Upon inspecting the sample of SCP-2955 available to the Foundation, each SCP-2955 instance is identified to be producing individual Rayleigh waves.
SCP-2955 instances from the sample are noted to be vibrating at increasing frequencies, often breaking their container via resonance. This has led to multiple counts of containment breach since its acquisition. Sample was incinerated on ██/██/2009.
Addendum 2955-3: On ██/██/2009, approximately 400,000 gold nuggets were found in proximity of SCP-2955. According to surveillance, they were produced from SCP-2955, via a process similar to moulting. These nuggets do not trigger transmigration events, and do not possess any anomalous properties.

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About 18 hours prior to the incident, the extracted sample was slated to be returned to the main body of SCP-2955, approved by Area-846 Director.
For said procedure, a Valkyrie-class aerial delivery drone was to be flown near SCP-2955 and drop a vial containing the sample at 3 metres outside the perimeter of SCP-2955. A cover story that the sample was incinerated was disseminated to personnel with Level 2 or below clearance. Procedure was successful and SCP-2955 sample rejoined the main body.

Footnotes
1. Similarities between SCP-2955 and SCP-2583 have been noted. [DATA REDACTED].
2. An alloy of gold and copper widely used in pre-Colombian Central America and South America.
3. CE 900 – 1150
4. An upper limit is currently undetermined; the longest recorded transition period between 2 consecutive transmigration events is about 9 months.
5. "Based on eyewitness accounts and supposed historic references to SCP-2955, it would be for the best if observation of SCP-2955 be conducted remotely." – Dr. Esteban Rodriguez
6. An expedition into Southwestern United States in search for the mythical Seven Cities of Gold, led by the conquistador Francisco Vázquez de Coronado.

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