Vampires have captivated the imaginations of people for centuries. These mythical creatures of the night spark fascination and fear. But where did the legends of vampires originate? Many ancient cultures had their own vampire-like demons that predate the vampires we know today.
Earliest Vampire Myths
Some of the earliest vampire myths can be traced back over 4,000 years to ancient Mesopotamia. The ancient Sumerians, Assyrians, and Babylonians had tales of demonic entities called Lilith, Lilitu, and Estries. These demons were believed to be evil spirits that would haunt the night looking to attack the living and drink their blood.
In ancient India, there were legends of vetala, evil spirits who could inhabit corpses and take demonic possession of them. The vetala would feed on human flesh and blood to survive. Similar legends occurred in ancient China, Malaysia, and South Asia of blood-drinking ghost, spirits, and demons.
Vampires in Ancient Greece and Rome
As Greek and Roman empires expanded and absorbed influences from conquered territories, their mythology started to include vampire-like creatures.
There were tales of the strix, a deadly bird of prey that fed on human flesh and blood. The creature was later incorporated into Roman mythology as the strix, a vampire-like demon. The Roman strix transformed into a creature that looked human by day but at night would transform into a bird-like monster to attack sleeping victims and drink their blood.
The Greek goddess Lamia was said to have transformed into a vampire-like demon that preyed on children. There was also the creature called the Empusa, which was a demonic blood-drinking entity that could appear as a beautiful woman to lure its victims.
Vampires in Slavic Folklore
Many of the early vampire myths from Greek and Roman lore spread through Europe. But it was not until vampires entered Eastern European folklore that the vampire myths solidified into the iconic blood-sucking villain we know today.
In Slavic folklore, vampires received many names including vjesci, vukodlak, lampir, etc. They were believed to be evil undead creatures that would rise from the grave and haunt villages, bringing pestilence, disease, and death. The creation of a vampire was often attributed to a deceased person who was wicked in life or died under tragic circumstances.
To deter these vampires, villages would go through rituals to bury the dead, such as staking corpses through the heart. They would avoid burying people near churches or crossroads where it was believed vampires could rise again.
Vampires in Early Literature
By the early 18th century, vampires were appearing more regularly in European literature, spreading vampire folklore further. Some key early vampire literature includes:
- The Vampyre by John Polidori (1819) – One of the first pieces of vampire literature in English, this story depicted aristocratic vampire Lord Ruthven, inspiring works like Dracula.
- Carmilla by Sheridan Le Fanu (1871) – About a female vampire who preys on a young woman, it helped establish the vampire lover theme.
- Dracula by Bram Stoker (1897) – The most famous vampire novel, it defined vampire lore for the modern era with Count Dracula able to shape-shift into a bat and consume blood.
As vampire literature proliferated, the vampire myth became further codified. Common tropes included vampires having fangs, being aristocrats, not having reflections, transforming into bats, and more. They also shifted from ugly blood-sucking ghouls into the suave, attractive predators we are now familiar with.
The Spread of Vampire Myths in the 20th Century
In the 20th century, vampires experienced another resurgence in popularity through film and television:
- Nosferatu (1922) – An unauthorized adaptation of Dracula, this film established the look of vampires with pale skin, aquiline features, and fangs.
- Dracula (1931) – Bela Lugosi’s performance defined Dracula in popular culture and film’s depiction of vampires.
- Vampire Lore in TV – Shows like Dark Shadows (1960s soap opera with vampires), The Munsters (1960s comedy with vampire grandfather), and Sesame Street (Count von Count muppet) helped bring vampires into popular culture.
Later renditions like Interview with the Vampire (1976 book and 1994 film) and Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997 TV series) reinvented vampires again for modern audiences.
The Evolution of Vampire Myths
Vampire myths have evolved substantially from their murky origins in ancient folklore to the pop culture mainstay they are today:
| Era | Type of Vampire | Attributes |
|---|---|---|
| Ancient World | Demons, spirits, ghouls | Animated corpses, blood-drinking, associated with death and disease |
| Middle Ages | Revenants, nosferatu | Rise from grave, spread plague, repelled by holy artifacts |
| 18th-19th Century | Suave aristocrats | Seduction, transformation into bats/wolves, immortality, stakes kill |
| Modern | Multi-faceted personas | Sympathetic or evil, struggles with bloodlust, superpowered, cool and sexy |
Today, vampires vary widely in depiction from sympathetic, morally conflicted beings to utterly evil and uncaring predators. Yet no matter how the myths transform, the vampire continues to endure as one of the most spellbinding and seductive monsters of myth and legend.
Conclusion
Vampire myths have ancient roots that reach as far back as the ancient Sumerians, Assyrians, and Babylonians. Tales of blood-drinking ghouls and demons evolved across ancient cultures into similar monsters including the Greek Lamia and Empusa and the Roman strix. But it was the folklore of Eastern Europe that more clearly defined the iconic vampire figure. Literature further codified vampire traits until film and television reinvented vampires for the modern age. After thousands of years of myth-making, vampires remain mysterious, terrifying, and eternally compelling.