GBM keeps going with the Favorite Monster Week and it wouldn’t be complete without vampires, right?

The Beginning

It is hard to say where Vampire folklore began, there are myths of creatures similar to vampires all the way back to Mesopotamia, approximately 3100 B.C.

These are known as the precursors of the vampiric legends. The vampire that we know today originated almost exclusively from 18th century southeastern Europe.

Dead Like Dead-Dead

A vampire is a Revenant, an animated corpse that has risen from the dead to haunt the living. Each culture has its own theories as to why or how it came to be.

In Slavic and Chinese culture, if an animal jumped over the corpse, particularly a dog or a cat, they would likely turn into a vampire.

If the corpse had a wound that had not been treated with boiling water, they would likely become one of the undead as well.

In Russian folklore, vampires were once witches or people who rebelled against the Russian Orthodox Church while alive.

Let’s Do A Stake Out

As an effort to prevent their loved one from becoming a vampire, the corpse could be buried upside down.

Or they could place a scythe or a sickle by the grave. In modern Greek folklore, they would put a wax cross and a piece of pottery that said “Jesus Christ Conquers” with the body to prevent them from rising.

Europeans would sever the tendons at the knees or place poppy seeds, millet or sand at the gravesite. In the belief that if the vampire rose, they would be preoccupied with counting the grains and wouldn’t go looking for blood.

Some Garlic With That?

The methods of protection have been similar throughout the ages, for the most part. Garlic is a staple and thought to ward off the vampire. Also, a branch of wild rose and hawthorn is said to protect as well.

In Europe, mustard seed, sprinkled on the roof of a house was said to ward them off. In some cultures, they would use mirrors to ward them off.

They would hang them on the front door with the mirror facing out or place them with the mirror facing out. Plus, there is a crucifix, holy water, and the good old rosary that you can use to protect yourself.

Fascinating!

I found it really intriguing in my research that vampires were not formerly vulnerable to the sun.

Obviously, the creatures were more active at night, but until recent history, they did not fear the sun. And it is said that vampires cannot walk on consecrated land, such as church land.

And extended help belief is that they cannot cross running water.

Holli Walker