The History of the Vampire
A Cross-Cultural Phenomenon and Dracula's Legacy
The tradition of the vampire dates back centuries and remains undead today with the continued release of books and movies on the subject. But what is the history of the vampire and where do the traditions originate?
The earliest legends of vampires come from the Far East in areas such as China, Tibet and India. These legends traveled to Eastern Europe along the silk routes. It is at their destinations that vampire tales reached a pinnacle and it is from these cultures that vampire legends of modern times originate.
Vampire Myth in India
India’s vampire story centers on the goddess Kali who has fangs, four arms and wears a garland of skulls. Legend states that she, along with the goddess Durga, battled the demon Raktabija who had the ability to reproduce himself from spilt blood. Kali defeated Raktabija by drinking blood spilled in their battle and therefore deprived him of the ability of recreation.
The Gypsy Tales of Vampires
The gypsies of Eastern Europe believed in the mullo who once dead would return to life to suck the blood of family members. His target was a family member who had killed him or those who disrespected his funeral rites. Gypsy tales also describe female vampires who could return to life and lead normal lives. If such a female were to marry, however, they warn that she would exhaust her husband.
The Catholic Church Splits and Vampire Theories
With the break of the Catholic Church in A.D. 1054 into the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches, came a split in opinion regarding vampires. Roman Catholics believed that corpses which appeared to be living were those of saints, whereas the Orthodox Catholics believed that they were vampires. This is perhaps one explanation for the myth’s prevalence in Eastern, as opposed to Western, Europe.
The Traditional Romanian Vampire
Romanian vampire myths are perhaps the most interesting and varied. Vampires were called strigoi, after the Roman word for screech owls. There were two types of these creatures: strigoi vii which were live witches able to send their souls from their bodies to meet with other witches in life and who would rise as vampires after death; and strigoi mort, the classic vampire who was human in life and vampire in death.
Those born with physical deformities, out of wedlock, those who died before baptism and from unnatural deaths, as well as the seventh child of the same sex in the same family were all at risk of becoming a vampire according to Romanian myth.
Romanian belief also represents the culmination of solutions for the vampire. These vanquishing techniques resonate in nearly every traditional vampire tale: stakes, decapitation, garlic, holy symbols and burning of the body are traditional tools to eliminate a vampire.
Dracula Brings Traditions Together to Introduce the Vampire to Western Europe
No discussion regarding vampires can be made without the mention of Vlad the Impaler, or Dracula. Bram Stoker’s novel excited Western Europeans to the possibility of such monsters and helped to solidify the myths of Eastern Europe. Literary license has been taken by many authors who deviate from the powers and limitations of Count Dracula and it is part of the fun of writing about a mythical creature.
So, why the fascination with the tales of Lestat, Edward and Bella, and Selene? Perhaps it is because the vampire represents the summation of collective human fears: a being, lurking in the shadows, which looks human but can take a life in moments, while offering the seductive promise of everlasting life, the ultimate goal of individuals everywhere. Regardless of the reason, the legend of the vampire is one that will no doubt refuse to be buried anytime soon.
Max Schreck in Movie "Nosferatu"
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