The Were-People

The human art of transformation was not without it's price.  This Adena Man had his four top front teeth removed to affect his transformation.  The palate of a wolf or bear or mountain lion was inserted in the space created by the removal of the teeth,  The hide of the animal was still attached to the palate and upper jaw of the animal, further aiding the shaman's transformation.  When he spoke it was as half man half animal.  We know this transformation by the name of Werewolf, but the concept was widely known in the Americas.  The oldest yet seen examples of this metamorphosis are from the Olmec in Mexico where "Werejaguars" were depicted more than 3,000 years ago.