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True story: I was confused by Lovecraft's descriptions of alien architecture until I learned that "cyclopean" meant "huge, as if built by giants" and not "having one eye"

Kris 🎃 HORRORchild@direkris.itch.io

Lovecraft: It was indescribable Me: OK Lovecraft: I shall proceed to describe it, using a lot of words ending in “-ness” and “-ish” Me: Fine Lovecraft: I don’t know what cyclopean means Maybe it’s not indescribable maybe you just suck at writing

25/10/26, 6:38 pm0 reposts6 likes

Joram Wolters

@joramwolters.com

I couldn't get through the necronomicon because I kept getting blindsided by casual racism

Blackblooms (indiegamedev)

@blackblooms.bsky.social

If i remember right, cyclopean architecture specifically means that its a piling up of stone without mortar. Basiquelly huge boulders piled up in such a way that they' ll hold each other and not fall.

Blackblooms (indiegamedev)

@blackblooms.bsky.social

Its a primitive but effective style of architecture, which does fit the old gods in that they are themselves primitive beings, more id than ego or superego. Through its not implausible that Lovecraft used the term because it sounds cool and didn't know much about actual cyclopean architecture

John Ayliff (Space Goblin Games)

@spacegoblingames.com

Yes exactly. Cyclopean architecture was so called because the ancient Greeks thought only the mythical cyclopes would have been able to build those walls - I'm pretty sure Lovecraft knew that and that's what he was going for.