Cyclops is a legend that originated from Greek and Roman Mythology. A cyclops in greek mythology and later roman mythology, is a member of a primordial race of Giants, each with a single eye in the center of his forehead. The word cyclops literally means "round-eyed" or "circle-eyed".
Description[]
Cyclops are often compared to other myths and cryptids, such as Ogres and Giants. They are portrayed as blacksmiths, and are very tall, with a large eye instead of 2 small ones. They are sometimes portrayed as cannibals.
Explanations[]
Because cyclops are at times portrayed as blacksmiths, the legend of their single eye may have arisen from the practice of blacksmiths wearing an eyepatch over one eye to prevent flying sparks from blinding them in both eyes. However, the most likely explanation is prehistoric dwarf elephant skulls – about twice the size of a human skull – that may have been found by the Greeks on Cyprus, Crete, Malta and Sicily. It's believed that the large, central nasal cavity (for the trunk) in the skull might have been interpreted as a large single eye-socket. Given the inexperience of the locals with living elephants, they were unlikely to recognize the skull for what it actually was.