Werewolves - truth or fiction?

 Werewolves, also known as lycanthropes, are one of the most fascinating and enduring motifs in world culture and mythology. The figure of the werewolf, a man capable of transforming into a wolf, appears already in ancient Greece and Rome, and beliefs about him have evolved over the centuries, adapting to local beliefs and cultures in different parts of the world.

The origins of the werewolf myth date back to ancient times. In "The Epic of Gilgamesh", one of the oldest known literary works, there is a figure of a man who is transformed into a wolf. In Europe, the werewolf motif gained popularity during the Middle Ages, becoming part of the Christian interpretation of older folk beliefs. It was believed that werewolves were cursed people who were transformed into beasts for their sins - this belief was often used during the times of witch hunts and werewolf hunts, especially in regions such as Switzerland and France.

The perception of werewolves varies significantly across cultures. In South America, for example in Guarani mythology, the figure of luison, although initially not identified with the wolf, over time began to be associated with the European image of the werewolf. Meanwhile, in Mexico, the myth of the Nahual, which is the local version of the werewolf, remains close to its pre-Columbian roots, emphasizing the belief that certain people can transform into animals, but not necessarily wolves.

In the United States, although local legends about werewolves were based on beliefs brought by European colonizers, over time American culture created its own, unique version of these creatures. Werewolves have become part of popular culture there, especially through horror films and literature.

Interestingly, despite the lack of scientific evidence confirming the existence of werewolves, many cultures over the centuries have described similar phenomena of the transformation of a human into a beast. Could this have resulted from attempts to explain certain human behaviors through the prism of available medical and psychological knowledge? Modern science offers explanations for such beliefs, pointing, among others, to diseases such as porphyria or hypertrichosis, which could be interpreted as symptoms of werewolfism.

Did werewolves ever actually exist, or are they just a figment of human imagination and folklore? Regardless of the answer, it is difficult to deny that the figure of the werewolf has a strong symbolic meaning, reflecting human fears and fascinations with the eternal conflict between civilized and wild nature, between humanity and bestiality.