Elgorod

Elgorod is a fictional city that features prominently in the works of the author H.P. Lovecraft, particularly in his short story "The Shadow Out of Time." It is depicted as an ancient and powerful metropolis belonging to the Great Race of Yith, an alien species known for their advanced civilization and their ability to travel through time.

In Lovecraft's mythology, Elgorod existed millions of years before humanity and was a center of learning and scientific achievement. The Great Race of Yith used their advanced technology to study the universe and their own history, including meticulously cataloging all life forms that would ever exist on Earth. Elgorod is described as a city of colossal proportions, built with materials and architectural styles far beyond human comprehension. Its inhabitants were masters of psychic transference, allowing them to swap bodies with beings from other eras to gain knowledge and experience.

The city's significance in "The Shadow Out of Time" lies in the narrative of Professor Nathaniel Wingate Peaslee, an archaeologist who has his consciousness transported to the body of a Yithian in Elgorod. Through this experience, Peaslee gains access to vast amounts of knowledge about the history of Earth and the universe, including the eventual decline and disappearance of the Great Race. The story serves as a cautionary tale about the limits of human understanding and the vastness of cosmic history. Elgorod, though fictional, represents a pinnacle of alien intellect and civilization in Lovecraft's cosmic horror universe.