by i heart him

Question by smiley13th:

What are the vampire myths where did vampires originate from?

Hi im about to start a book about vampires and want to know the origin of them. Basically the book is going to be vampires through the ages (I hope this hasn't been done before!) So if u can give me any information on the myths and dates of the different stories through the ages i would be very grateful
Many thanks :)




Best answer:

Answer by Crimson Empire Rising
In folklore, a vampire is a malign spirit â€" usually believed to be a restless soul of a heretic, criminal or suicide â€" that refuses to join the ranks of the dead but instead leaves its burial place â€" in its original body or taking possession of another's corpse â€" and becomes a bloodsuck ing creature in order to continue enjoying the pleasures of the living.


The belief in vampires dates back to antiquity. Ancient Mesopotamians feared that corpses not properly buried would rise from their graves and attack the living to suck their blood.


Western notions of the vampire come primarily from Slavic folklore, especially as it was interpreted by the author Bram Stoker in his novel Dracula (1897). In some isolated regions of eastern Europe, peasants still hang wreaths of garlic over their doors â€" a preventive measure cited in Dracula â€" as protection against evil spirits, but many other aspects of Stoker's story may have been his own invention.

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