WEREWOLVES: The REAL History Behind the Legends, Lore, and Lycanthropy

From ancient Sumerian epics to modern-day sightings in England's Cannock Chase, the werewolf has terrorized humanity for over 2,000 years — and the real history includes medieval trials that tortured and executed thousands of accused shapeshifters, medical conditions that spawned the legends, and 35 documented sightings in a single forest that continue to this day. Journey through the dark truth behind lycanthropy, from the She-Wolves of Jülich who allegedly killed 94 people to the shocking werewolf trials that made witch hunts look merciful, and discover why every culture on Earth has its own terrifying version of the wolf-human hybrid.Join the DARKNESS SYNDICATE for the ad-free version: https://weirddarkness.com/syndicateTake the WEIRD DARKNESS LISTENER SURVEY and help mold the future of the podcast: https://weirddarkness.com/surveyIN THIS EPISODE: The idea of the werewolf has been with us for a long time – the first mention of a werewolf that we know of is over two thousand years ago. We’ll look at the origins of the werewolf, look at whether they are actually real, and if so, how one goes about becoming one, and some of the cures believed to release the man from the beast. Of course, it’s not always the Wolf-Man… sometimes it’s the Wolf-Woman. We’ll look at the most fearsome lady werewolves throughout history! I’ll tell you about the trials and punishments of those convicted of being werewolves – many probably wish they’d have confessed to being witches instead! Plus, what if I was to tell you that werewolves truly ARE real – and that a small village has been terrorized by them for decades – right up to modern day? There is convincing evidence to back up my claim! All of this and more werewolfism can be found in this episode!CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Lead-In00:02:57.556 = Show Intro00:04:50.336 = Ancient Origins of Werewolves00:26:04.006 = Who’s Afraid of Virginia Werewolf?00:35:55.899 = The Werewolf Trials00:48:53.940 = The Lycanthrope Metaphor00:54:10.432 = Lycans of Cannock Chase01:02:35.974 = Little-Known Lycan Lore01:05:35.605 = Show CloseSOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE…BOOK: “Giants, Monsters and Dragons” by Carol Rose: https://amzn.to/36k0VW0BOOK: “The Werewolf Delusion” by Ian Woodward: https://amzn.to/2Sa74LVBOOK: “The Book of Werewolves” by Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould: https://amzn.to/3jgTLp5EPISODE: “The Werewolf Panic of the 1970’s”: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/48s5bbkk EPISODE: “Werewolves of Central England”: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2vpt52rn EPISODE: “Werewolf In The Bronx”: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/y3auryjk EPISODE: “A Summer of Werewolves”: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p875ynn EPISODE: “Planet Werewolf”: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yb6ck67a EPISODE: “The Beast Of The Land Between The Lakes”: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/5n8jcczz EPISODE: “The Beast of Barmston Drain”: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/mrs9j8xu EPISODE: “The Ohio Dogman”: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p8rc5su EPISODE: “The Skinwalker Ranch, Home To Real Werewolves”: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p975j56 EPISODE: “Hairy Humanoids of Texas”: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yckkfhun EPISODE: “Skinwalkers and Shapeshifters”: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/mr2w57xr VIDEO: “A Brief History of Horror – Werewolves”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBLcGH1MpRgVIDEO: “Legends of the Werewolves”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCHZjU7Hi0w“The Origins and Lore of Werewolves” from History Daily: https://tinyurl.com/y4l7ytmk, Tanika Koosmen for The Conversation: https://tinyurl.com/y5jy9uog, Benjamin Radford for Live Science: https://tinyurl.com/yclcqmqp, and Ella Talkin for Ranker: https://tinyurl.com/yy55wq9q“The Werewolf Trials” by Inigo Gonzalez for Ranker: https://tinyurl.com/y2qmp4n2“The Lycans of Cannock Chase” by Hugh Landman for Ranker: https://tinyurl.com/s6h83am“Who’s Afraid of Virginia Werewolf?” by April A Taylor for Ranker: https://tinyurl.com/y3qz82on“How Werewolves Work” by Tracy V.V. Wilson for How Stuff Works: https://tinyurl.com/y3oe9bte“Little-Known Lycan Lore” by Jonathan Gordon for History Answers: https://tinyurl.com/y3jb5scq=====(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired: September 30, 2020EPISODE PAGE at WeirdDarkness.com (includes list of sources): https://weirddarkness.com/werewolvesABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.DISCLAIMER: Ads heard during the podcast that are not in my voice are placed by third party agencies outside of my control and should not imply an endorsement by Weird Darkness or myself. *** Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.#Werewolves #TrueCrime #Paranormal #MedievalHistory #Cryptozoology