by Sarah Todd

Created on: October 30, 2008

Modern vampire mythology has its roots in the south eastern European countries like Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia and Romania. The general belief that vampires are reborn from the corpse of a person bitten by a vampire during life has evolved from the original myth, which claimed witches, evil people and suicide victims would rise from the grave in vampire form.

It is thought vampire myths from this region developed in the ninth century because of conflicting beliefs between paganism and Christianity. Several different reasons evolved as to the cause of vampirism, including conceiving a child on specific days or being born with teeth, a tail or a caul (a membrane over a newborn's head). Any child that died before being baptised risked becoming a vampire, a fate which also fell upon the seventh child of the same sex in a family. A pregnant woman who didn't eat salt or one who caught the eye of a vampire or a witch would give birth to a vampire. Excommunication from the church, suspicious and unusual deaths and improper burial rites increased the chances of becoming a vampire.

One of the first civilisations with references to vampires were the Persians, who featured images of strange beings drinking blood from men on their pottery. The Hebrew demon Lilith was said to drink the blood of babies, while the similar Jewish demon also consumed the blood of men and women.

The Adze, an African vampire, usually appears as a firefly. If captured, however, it will assume a human shape. Its diet consists of coconut milk, palm oil and blood, and it hunts children. Another being with vampire tendencies is the Lightning Bird, also know by its traditional name Impundulu. The size of a human this black and white bird summons thunder and lightning using its wings and talons. It can also act as a witch's familiar, protecting the witch from any enemies. As well as an unquenchable appetite for blood it can transform into a handsome man in order to seduce women. The Asanbosam has iron teeth and hooks for feet. It lives in trees, flying down to attack its victims' thumbs. The Ramanga evolved from a race of servants forced to eat the nail parings and drink any blood lost by their masters. Should the master cut himself or be wounded in battle the Ramanga would lick the wounds, restoring his master to full health.

The Chinese vampire Jiang Shi is formed when a deceased person's soul cannot leave the body. The corpse hops around, absorbing the life essence of those it kills. Their skin is greenish-white

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