Special Containment Procedures: SCP-8615 is to be contained within an airtight vacuum chamber at Site-11. The chamber is to be constantly monitored to ensure oxygen levels remain at a steady zero (0) percent to prevent flame combustion. SCP-8615 is to remain unlit except during approved testing, and no sources of fire are to enter SCP-8615's testing chamber under any circumstance outside of testing.
Under no circumstances should any personnel not cleared for testing be in the chamber or be exposed to the light produced during the activation of SCP-8615. In the event of accidental activation, the affected area is to be immediately sealed, and all personnel within are to be considered lost until flame cessation.
Personnel wearing protective gear such that the individual weighs more than 100 kilograms may enter the chamber during testing no personnel are to enter SCP-8615's testing chamber until flame cessation.
Description: SCP-8615 is a heavily oxidized brass oil lantern of mid-20th century manufacture, measuring approximately 29 cm in height and 13 cm in diameter. Design analysis indicates similarities to kerosene lamps produced between 1900 and 1960. The underside of the lantern bears a manufacturing label marked “M.N.”, though no records of this manufacturer exist in any national registry or historical trade database. The baseplate and handle display wear patterns consistent with prolonged maritime or industrial use, yet metallurgical analysis shows no structural fatigue or decay beyond surface oxidation.
The reservoir contains a translucent amber fluid resembling refined kerosene, however chemical analysis has identified it as a non-volatile compound lacking any recognizable hydrocarbons. The substance neither evaporates nor depletes during combustion, and any attempt to extract or replace it results in full restoration of the original volume within approximately ninety (90) seconds. The source of this replenishment remains unknown.
When lit, SCP-8615 emits a pale light with an abnormally high refractive index. Any living organism or physical object that is directly illuminated by light created by SCP-8615 in the visible spectrum1 is instantaneously displaced to an earlier point in time alongside SCP-8615.2 Temporal displacement occurs only within the boundaries of the illuminated area and corresponds to the same geographic coordinates relative to Earth’s position at the destination point. Attempts to physically move the lantern by any means necessary while in its active state have proven unsuccessful.
All affected individuals and nearby objects are transported simultaneously, maintaining their relative spatial arrangement at the moment of exposure. Subjects report an intense burning sensation during transit, though no thermal damage or lasting physical harm has been observed. The sensation ceases abruptly upon arrival, though psychological distress is common among subjects. SCP-8615 appears alongside affected individuals, exhibiting no oxidation or signs of aging regardless of the temporal distance traveled. Temporal displacement appears random, ranging from several days to multiple millennia in the past. No consistent relationship has been identified between the amount of fuel present, duration of exposure, or the extent of displacement. SCP-8615 will not disappear in the present, and any personnel that are exposed during the entire duration of SCP-8615 being lit will be transported to the past.
After an indeterminate interval typically between 2 and 12 hours, SCP-8615’s flame extinguishes of its own accord. When this occurs, all living organisms exposed to its light during the active period reappear at the exact spatial and temporal coordinates corresponding to the initial moment of displacement. Any actions taken in the past with intent to alter the present appear to have no observable effect. However, objects and organisms may be brought back via SCP-8615, resulting in the creation of temporal duplicates if identical subjects already exist in the present. Subjects that are not illuminated by SCP-8615 during flame cessation are to be considered lost.
Discovery Log
SCP-8615 was recovered from the remains of a residential house fire in Bath, England, on August 19, 1994. The object was found intact in the basement, standing upright amid debris. Multiple eyewitnesses, including emergency responders, reported that the lantern remained lit despite active firefighting efforts. The fire was later determined to have originated in the same room as SCP-8615, though the exact cause of the spread remains unknown.
Among the debris, several rare and historically significant artifacts were recovered, including gold and silver coins, jewelry, and small religious icons. Subsequent analysis confirmed these items were authentic and remarkably well-preserved, despite their age. Investigation revealed that the home’s owner had previously sold similar objects on the black market, suggesting the lantern had been used to recover valuables from past points in time with intent to profit.
The homeowner was found in a catatonic state approximately 300 meters from the residence, exhibiting mild hypothermia despite ambient temperatures of 23°C. The homeowner refused to comment when questioned and was later administered Class C amnestics.
Testing Procedures
All testing involving SCP-8615 must occur within an airtight chamber located at least thirty (30) meters above sea level within Site-11’s Surface Facility. No additional light sources are to be active during experimentation. The testing chamber is to be completely empty, not including SCP-8615 and any personnel undergoing testing on SCP-8615.
Before ignition, SCP-8615's testing chamber is to be sealed with no visible light able to escape. Upon ignition, SCP-8615's testing chamber is to not be entered until flame cessation.
Subjects transported by SCP-8615 are to stay within fifty (50) meters of SCP-8615 until flame cessation, as to be closely illuminated by SCP-8615.
Test Log SCP-8615-3
Subject: D-9924
Procedure: Standard ignition protocol. Subject instructed to light SCP-8615 and remain stationary.
Result: Subject disappeared instantly upon ignition. SCP-8615 remained lit for approximately 8 hours before extinguishing. Subject reappeared in original containment position, visibly disoriented but otherwise unharmed.
Upon recovery, fragments of coarse sediment and fibrous plant material were discovered embedded in the subject’s clothing. Analysis identified the sediment as compacted siltstone consistent with formations dated to the late Pleistocene epoch. The fibrous material was later determined to be vascular tissue from an unidentified species of Equisetum (Horsetail).
Following recovery, D-9924 reported being surrounded by a sparse, cold landscape dominated by rocky outcrops and marshy areas with fern-like vegetation. The subject noted the absence of trees or modern landmarks, and described a faint, distant river or stream in the landscape. They reported feeling a chill and difficulty maintaining footing on uneven terrain, observing only natural elements consistent with a late Pleistocene environment.
Test Log SCP-8615-5
Subject: D-1108
Procedure: Standard ignition protocol. Subject instructed to light SCP-8615 and remain stationary.
Result: Subject disappeared instantly upon ignition. SCP-8615 remained lit for approximately 7 hours before extinguishing. D-1108 returned deceased.
Examination revealed multiple severe bite marks across the neck and torso. The wounds were consistent with bite patterns of Canis Lupus (Gray Wolf), which were likely native to the region an approximate period of 800 to 1,200 years ago. The subject also sustained significant cranial trauma, consistent with blunt-force impact likely resulting from a physical fall to the ground. Subject presumed terminated due to severe traumatic brain injury and blood loss.
Test Log SCP-8615-8
Subject: D-5530
Additional Equipment: Foundation-issued handheld video camera3.
Procedure: Subject instructed to ignite SCP-8615 and continuously record surroundings following displacement.
Result: Subject and equipment disappeared instantly upon ignition. SCP-8615 remained lit for 4 hours and 12 minutes before extinguishing. Upon reappearance, the exterior of the camera was coated with compacted ice and particulate consistent with late Pleistocene glacial deposits. D-5530 was not recovered, presumed to have left SCP-8615's range after dropping the camera.
Recovered camera footage showed approximately seven minutes of dense, low-visibility footage. Initial frames depict a snowy, open tundra under heavy wind conditions. Approximately 90 seconds in, large silhouettes consistent with Mammuthus Primigenius (Woolly Mammoth) were briefly visible moving across the horizon. The subject can be heard shouting before the camera abruptly drops into snow. The remaining five minutes are static and environmental noise, followed the camera automatically shutting off due to a severe drop in temperature.
WARNING: THE FOLLOWING FILE IS LEVEL 3 CLASSIFIED
ANY ATTEMPT TO ACCESS THIS FILE WITHOUT LEVEL 3 AUTHORIZATION WILL BE LOGGED AND WILL LEAD TO IMMEDIATE DISCIPLINARY ACTION.