Lovecraft and Archeology Lecture at Treadwell's in London

An interesting lecture on Lovecraft and archeology, "The Lair of Cthulhu," is scheduled for the evening of October 15, at London's bookstore Treadwell's. It will be delivered by James Holloway, an English Lovecraftian and archeology PhD. Further details from the Treadwell's website:

The Lairs of Cthulhu
Archaeology, Myth and Mystery in the work of HP Lovecraft
James Holloway (Cambridge)
£5.00
7.15 for 7.30 start

For many, the name HP Lovecraft conjures images of strange pre-human ruins. In fact, Lovecraft was keenly interested in archaeology and ancient history, and used archaeological theory to create specific dramatic effects in his work. This talk explores Lovecraft's relationship to archaeology, its use in his fiction, the adoption of this imagery by the Lovecraftian fan community, and the ways in which Lovecraft's work anticipates modern debates in the field. This is a night for all who have been moved by the landscapes he conjured, the deeps he evoked: the lairs of Cthulhu.

James Holloway has a PhD in archaeology from Cambridge, focusing on funerary archaeology in the Anglo-Saxon period. He has a lifelong interest in Lovecraft, and originally began to look into this subject as part of a 2007 conference session on 'the archaeology of imaginary civilizations.'

The innovative theme of this lecture promises to make it one of the more engaging Lovecraftian events anywhere in the near future. Focusing on archaeological aspects in HPL's work is not a common subject of weird literary scholarship, giving this particular lecture originality and importance. British readers, check it out.

-Grim Blogger