Vampires have held the fascination of the public for hundreds of years. Many point to Bram Stoker's Dracula as the source of this fascination, but vampire obsession has existed for much longer.
Like all legends, the vampire has evolved throughout history. Vampires exist in many different cultures under many different names. In ancient times, the word vampire did not exist. Gods, demons, and evil spirits were often associated with drinking blood or eating human flesh.
Ancient Times (Pre 500 AD)
The Egyptian goddess Sekhmet is one of the earliest known accounts of vampirism. When Ra became angry because mankind was not following his laws he sent Sekhmet as punishment. She was called the Lady of the Bloodbath. She would slaughter humans, rip their bodies apart, and drink their blood. Sekhmet can be traced to at least 3000 BCE. She is one of the earliest known versions of the modern day vampire. The Feast of Sekhmet was held each year in Egypt. Ancient Egyptians would drink beer mixed with pomegranate juice. Beer turned red, beer that symbolized blood.
Around the same time in nearby Mesopotamia, there were numerous blood-drinking demons. The Persians may have been the first to tell tales of these demons. Excavated Persian pottery shards contain images of demons attempting to drink human blood. Estries was a female demon who was a shape shifter. She appeared to men as a beautiful woman. She would seduce them and then drink their blood. In Babylon, Lilitu was the Temptation Demon. She appeared as a seductive woman who drank the blood of men.
Lilitu led to the Hebrew myth of Lilith. There are numerous contradictory stories of Lilith. In some, Lilith is Adam's first wife. In others Lilith is a demon of the night that lives by drinking the blood of babies.
In Ancient Greece there was Empusa. She was a blood-drinking demon who transformed into a young woman and seduced men. Lamia, daughter of Poseidon, was one of Zeus's many human lovers. When Hera found out, she killed all of Lamia's children. Lamia swore vengeance and began preying upon young children in their beds at night, drinking their blood.
The most common theme in ancient times was a demon that shape shifted into a beautiful woman. The demon seduced and preyed upon men, drinking their blood.
In 130 BCE the Silk Road opened and connected the Egyptian port of Alexandria to southern Europe and eastern Asia. The Silk Road is credited with intermixing cultural beliefs throughout Africa, Europe, and Asia. Egyptian mythology was particularly inspiring as it introduced the concepts of eternal life after death, reincarnation, and numerous deities. Legends, folklore, and tales spread across the continents.
Medieval Times (500 AD to 1500 AD)
In Hungary, belief in vampires has persisted since at least 800 AD. The demon Izcacus was a blood-drinking demon. The word has roots in ancient Turkish. The Hungarians and Turks made contact along the Silk Road in the late 8th century. The Turks introduced the Hungarians to these early vampires, who were in turn most likely descendents of the Mesopotamian vampires. Later, in the 12th century, a pagan shaman was on trial in the city of Saeospatak. The shaman again tells of Izcacus and issues a warning. Izcacus would be called upon to destroy the Hungarians (who were now Christian).
The upir (upyr, upior, upier, upyri, upor, and numerous other variants) has Russian, Ukrainian, and Slavic origins. In 1047 AD a manuscript of the Book of Psalms is transcribed by a priest from Glagolitic into Cyrillic for the Russian Prince Vladmiri Yaroslavovich. In a colophon, the priest writes his name as is Upir' Likhyi, which means Wicked Vampire.
Across Slavic culture, the upir is traditionally an unclean spirit that possesses a dead body. This undead creature requires the blood of the living to survive. The upir is jealous and vengeful toward the living. To kill an upir you must stake it in its heart, burn it by fire, drown it in holy water, or decapitate it.
Vlad III Dracula, ruler of Walachia (modern-day Romania) lived 1431 - 1476. He was the son of Vlad II Dracul. Locally he was considered a hero. He was charged with protecting Christianity in Eastern Europe. He led raids against the invading Ottomans and protected the Romanians and the Bulgarians. He gained additional notoriety for the unusually cruel and brutal punishment of his Ottoman enemies. Although there are no convincing historical accounts of Vlad drinking blood, he would later become the inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula.
Modern Times (1500 AD to Today)
Elizabeth Bathory (Hungarian, 1560 - 1614) was born in Transylvania. She was a countess and a serial killer. She tortured and killed hundreds of young women between 1585 and 1609. Her victim count may have been as high as 650. To retain her youth, she bathed in the blood of her victims, young virgin girls. She would later become known as the Blood Countess.
Greek folklore tells of the vrykolakas. A person became a vrykolakas when they led a sacrilegious way of life, suffered excommunication, or were buried in unconsecrated ground. After death they would rise from their grave and their bodies did not decay. They would roam the village at night and cause all kinds of havoc. Then, each night before dawn, they would return to their grave to rest. In 1645 Leo Allatios, a Greek catholic, wrote a letter to his friend about the vrykolakas. It was titled De quorundam Graecorum Opinationibus.
In 1656 in the region of Istria (modern-day Croatia), Jure Grando died. For at least 16 years after his death, each night Jure rose from his grave. He terrorized the village, his former family, and drank human blood. Eventually the town revolted and went to his grave and performed an exorcism. Jure was decapitated and the town never saw him again.
In 1748 the word vampyre appears in the poem, Der Vampir by Heinrich August Ossenfelder. This is considered to be the first introduction of the word vampire into the English language.
In 1897 Bram Stoker publishes Dracula.
Fictional and real vampires have appeared in mythology, folklore, and our writings for thousands of years.
The Vampire in Literature
Numerous vampire stories were written prior to the popularization of the vampire myth in pop culture.
The Vampyre; a Tale by John Polidori (1819)
Originally posted here:
Vampire Rave is for Real Vampires
- At Least Three Women Were Infected With H.I.V. After 'Vampire Facials' - The New York Times - May 1st, 2024
- Vampire Facials Presumptively Linked to HIV Transmission - The Cut - May 1st, 2024
- Brad Pitt's 30-Year-Old Vampire Movie Was Originally A Female Story (You Won't Believe Who Almost Starred In It) - Screen Rant - May 1st, 2024
- 'Abigail' Surpasses Universal's Last Two Vampire Films at the Box Office - Collider - May 1st, 2024
- NY Premiere of Anne Rice's "Interview with the Vampire" Season 2 - Clinton Herald - May 1st, 2024
- 'Vampire facials' at unlicensed spa likely resulted in HIV infections: CDC - Fox News - May 1st, 2024
- CDC reports first cases of HIV transmission through cosmetic injection in women who received vampire facials - The Independent - May 1st, 2024
- Reginald The Vampire Season 2: Jacob Batalon Teases The Aftermath Of The Angel's Arrival In New Episodes - Screen Rant - May 1st, 2024
- May 2024 TV preview: Hacks, Interview With The Vampire, Bridgerton, and 18 other shows to watch - The A.V. Club - May 1st, 2024
- Release schedule for all 8 episodes of Interview With The Vampire season 2 - Winter is Coming - May 1st, 2024
- Vampire Weekend - Only God Was Above Us - UNCUT - May 1st, 2024
- CDC: 3 women infected with HIV through vampire facials - FOX 26 Houston - May 1st, 2024
- Abigail review: Horror comedy heist thriller is one of best vampire films in years - UNILAD - May 1st, 2024
- 'Vampire Facial' Linked To 3 HIV Cases | WOC 1420 - iHeart - May 1st, 2024
- At Least 3 Women Contracted HIV After Getting "Vampire Facial" At Spa, US Health Body Finds - NDTV - May 1st, 2024
- What Is Vampire Facial, Procedure That Led To 3 US Women Contracting HIV - NDTV - May 1st, 2024
- 5 Cases of HIV Traced to Dirty 'Vampire Facials' in New Mexico - ScienceAlert - May 1st, 2024
- Vampire facials and the risk of HIV here's how to protect yourself - The Telegraph - May 1st, 2024
- "Vampire Facials" -And We Aint Talkin Taylor Lautner- Are Giving Spa-Goers Just A Dash of HIV According To The CDC - Barstool Sports - May 1st, 2024
- Women get HIV after getting 'vampire facial' done: All about it - The Times of India - May 1st, 2024
- What is vampire facial? 5 points on viral beauty trend that left 3 women infected with HIV - Hindustan Times - May 1st, 2024
- Every time I see him, he goes, 'Am I still a Vampire?': Alice Cooper on initiating Paul McCartney into Hollywood ... - Louder - May 1st, 2024
- Idea Was Better Than The Execution: Tom Cruise's $223M Vampire Movie Key Scene Candidly Reflected On By VFX ... - Screen Rant - May 1st, 2024
- Interview with the Vampire Season 2 Mini-Teaser Spotlights Santiago - Bleeding Cool News - May 1st, 2024
- Everything Featured in the IGN x ID@Xbox Digital Showcase: Vampire Survivors, Jackbox Naughty Pack, Palworld - mxdwn.com - May 1st, 2024
- How 'vampire facials' infected three women with HIV - BBC - May 1st, 2024
- May's TV Releases, From 'Bridgerton' to 'Interview with the Vampire' - Collider - May 1st, 2024
- 'Vampire facials' were linked to cases of HIV. Here's what to know about the beauty treatment - MSN - May 1st, 2024
- 'Vampire facials' linked to HIV cases, CDC warning - AOL - May 1st, 2024
- 'Vampire facials' likely infected 3 women with HIV. Here's what health experts want you to know about these beauty ... - Yahoo Life - May 1st, 2024
- Who Does Matt End Up With in The Vampire Diaries? - CBR - Comic Book Resources - April 21st, 2024
- Oregon Man Staked His Mother's Throat Believing She Was a Vampire [Horror IRL] - Dread Central - April 21st, 2024
- V Rising 1.0 will let you sip the blood of history's greatest vampire - PCGamesN - April 21st, 2024
- Mourning the Muse You've Never Met | Mary Boone by Vampire Weekend - Impact 89FM - April 21st, 2024
- Abigail Directors Reveal the Method to Their Vampire Madness - Syfy - April 21st, 2024
- 'Abigail' takes audiences on bloody vampire heist The Daily Texan - The Daily Texan - April 21st, 2024
- New Teaser For Anne Rice's Interview With The Vampire Reveals 'Laws Of The Vampire' - Age Of The Nerd - April 21st, 2024
- Abigail Review: The ballerina vampire film is on pointe, and its a blast - Fort Worth Report - April 21st, 2024
- Music Monday: Vampire Weekend's Fifth Studio Album, Only God Above Us Proves That The Band Was Not Just A ... - Cardinal & Cream - April 21st, 2024
- Abigail Filmmakers Radio Silence on Their Genre-Hopping Vampire Thriller and Honoring Angus Clouds Final Performance - Variety - April 21st, 2024
- Abigail Review: Dan Stevens and Melissa Barrera in an Exuberantly Over-the-Top Vampire Horror-Comedy - Hollywood Reporter - April 21st, 2024
- 'Interview With the Vampire' Season 2 Trailer Learn the Laws of the Undead - Collider - April 21st, 2024
- New Interview with the Vampire Teaser Shares the Laws of the Vampire - ComicBook.com - April 21st, 2024
- 'Abigail' Review: This Ballerina Vampire Has the Perfect Bite - The Mary Sue - April 21st, 2024
- Interview with the Vampire Season 2 to Include 'Cool Twist' Not Seen in Original Books - CBR - Comic Book Resources - April 21st, 2024
- Review: New York City is Vampire Weekend's muse on 'Only God Was Above Us' - America: The Jesuit Review - April 21st, 2024
- Ikki Unite, the Feudal Japanese Vampire Survivors-like, Arrives on Switch and Steam - Co-Optimus.com - April 21st, 2024
- 'Abigail' review: A vampire bloodbath with pools of sticky stuff - Detroit News - April 21st, 2024
- 'Blood Hunt' #5 Demands a Heavy Price to Bring Down the Vampire's Reign - Marvel - April 21st, 2024
- Vanpires Are Back: 17 Vampire Books to Read - The Everygirl - April 21st, 2024
- Interview with the Vampire season 2 will be bigger, and include a huge twist that's not in the books - Gamesradar - April 21st, 2024
- A vampire ballerina and hired hitman hit the screens this weekend - WDIV ClickOnDetroit - April 21st, 2024
- Abigail's Directors Tell Us Why They Included The Vampire Ballerina Twist In The Movie's Marketing, But I Still Wish It ... - CinemaBlend - April 21st, 2024
- 'I get bored easily': Jacob Anderson reveals 'worries' about Interview with the Vampire season two - El Paso Inc. - April 21st, 2024
- Interview with the Vampire Season 2 Teaser Trailer Unveils the Laws of Being a Vampire - ComingSoon.net - April 21st, 2024
- 'I get bored easily': Jacob Anderson reveals 'worries' about Interview with the Vampire season two - Yahoo New Zealand News - April 21st, 2024
- Amazingly Accurate Real-Life BG3 Astarion Shows The Vampire Ready For Combat - Screen Rant - April 21st, 2024
- Interview With the Vampire Star Teases Teases Major Season 2 Twist - ComicBook.com - April 21st, 2024
- 32 astonishing ancient burials, from 'vampire' decapitations to riches for the afterlife - Livescience.com - April 21st, 2024
- Zendaya Becomes A Kick-Ass Buffy The Vampire Slayer In Photo-Realistic Art - Screen Rant - April 21st, 2024
- Nosferatu: First Footage Shows Off Bill Skarsgard as the Vampire - TheWrap - April 12th, 2024
- Vampire Weekend and Amber Coffman Cover Grateful Dead's Peggy-O - Pitchfork - April 12th, 2024
- Watch: Goose Welcome Vampire Weekend for Half-Hour Jam on Night Four at The Capitol Theatre - jambands.com - April 12th, 2024
- Woman found dead in Italian church was dressed like vampire and looking for ghosts - Express - April 12th, 2024
- Goose Welcome Vampire Weekend for Half-Hour Jam on Night Four at The Capitol Theatre (A Gallery + Recap) - Relix - April 12th, 2024
- A Guide to Vampire Weekend's Most Jewish Songs and Lyrics - Alma - April 12th, 2024
- Review: Vampire Weekend's 'Only God Was Above Us' sinks its teeth into nihilistic perspectives - Washington Square News - April 12th, 2024
- Watch Vampire Weekend Join Goose for a 31-Minute Redition of "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" | Exclaim! - Exclaim! - April 12th, 2024
- Vampire Weekend's Only God Was Above Us: Review - Consequence - April 12th, 2024
- Vampire Weekend Covers The Grateful Dead's 'Peggy-O' On SiriusXM - Digg - April 12th, 2024
- Vampire Weekend Covered Grateful Dead With Amber Coffman On SiriusXMU: Watch - Stereogum - April 12th, 2024
- Savannah Basley Co-Stars in SyFy's REGINALD THE VAMPIRE Season Two - BroadwayWorld - April 12th, 2024
- Review | Vampire Weekend's 'Only God Was Above Us' is sure to get stuck in your head - UI The Daily Iowan - April 12th, 2024
- Vampire Survivors Contra Crossover DLC Will Come to PlayStation Later in the Summer - Push Square - April 12th, 2024
- OGWAU Is Vampire Weekend Keeping Things Fresh - HeadStuff.org - April 12th, 2024
- Vampire Survivors is Crossing Over With Contra - GameRant - April 12th, 2024
- Vampire Survivors Headed to PS5 and PS4 This Summer - News - VGChartz - April 12th, 2024
- Vampire Survivors teams up with Contra for new DLC and fangs its way onto PlayStation consoles this summer - VG247 - April 12th, 2024
- The face of a 500-year-old vampire with a brick between her teeth - Metro.co.uk - March 24th, 2024
- Scientists recreate face of 16th-century vampire buried with brick inside mouth - WION - March 24th, 2024
Reviewed and Recommended by Erik Baquero