Folklore scholarship and lycanthropy studies
A comprehensive and scholarly survey of shape-shifting myths and legends throughout history. Frank Hamel explores the global belief in 'human animals'—individuals who have the power to transform into wolves, tigers, hyenas, and other beasts. The book covers famous historical cases of lycanthropy, the legends of the 'Berserkers', the use of animal ointments in witchcraft, and the psychological theories of animal transformation (including the concept of the 'astral double'). It draws on both ancient classical accounts and modern 19th-century ethnographic reports from Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
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