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it seems that headstones were not originally used as a remembrance of loved ones, but as a weight to prevent a vampire from escaping.
4) Try burying food with the vampire, as a well-fed vampire does not feel the need to cannibalize itself or leave the grave to vampirism others.
5) Potential vampires were most often staked though the heart, though the mouth was targeted in Russia and northern Germany.

6) In the Balkans a vampire could also be killed by being shot or drowned, by repeating the funeral service, by sprinkling holy water on the body, or by exorcism. In Romania garlic could be placed in the mouth, and other methods included burning of the corpse, burying, or drowning the remains.
Today there are actually some cults of "vampires" that exist (i.e. New York City has many cultic vampire clubs). These people drink small amounts of blood from willing victims in keeping with the ancient belief that it will bring power and life.

A note of warning - An undead will rise from the grave during the night to drink the blood of the living in order to stay 'alive so be careful where you tread in the dark hours.

Bibliography:

1) The Vampire Book: Encyclopedia of the Dead - J. Gordon Melton

2) Vampirism Around the World - the shadowlands.net

3) Vampire - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Learn more about this author, Norman A. Rubin.
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