The Vampire Through History

By Paul Cuffe

Of all the creatures that stalk the night, none has captured the imagination quite like the Vampire. These days, in popular culture it is almost impossible to read, watch or hear any supernatural tale that does not involve the undead. Particularly in our modern day society the Vampire is held with somewhat high regard; a conflicting mix of fear and wonder, lust and longing

• Language: English
• Publisher: Paul Cuffe
• Release date: Feb 4, 2017
• ISBN: 9781535339124

Book preview

Introduction

Of all the creatures that stalk the night, none has captured the imagination quite like the Vampire. These days, in popular culture it is almost impossible to read, watch or hear any supernatural tale that does not involve the undead. Particularly in our modern day society the Vampire is held with somewhat high regard; a conflicting mix of fear and wonder, lust and longing.

So what is it about the undead that explains our enduring fascination? Is it the sense of power and command they hold over the living? The longing or search for immortality and youth that walks hand in hand with the Vampire myth? Or is it a hidden part of our psyche that identifies with the legends of the undead? Whatever it is that draws us toward the Vampire tradition, there is no denying that it is one so rich it continues to captivate us all.

Much of what we think we know about the Vampire myth more likely dates from the 18th or 19th century, and is so confused with what we have seen on Television or read in novels stemming from that time, that is almost impossible to separate the fact from fiction. The truth is that there have been many documented reports of Vampires and Vampirism from all across the globe. From civilisation to civilisation it seems that in some form or other, the living has crossed paths with the undead throughout history. The stories are both simultaneously similar yet different in their accounting of the risen dead. Some of these fables have given rise to traits we now associate with Vampirism; each adding their own little piece of folklore and superstition to the tale, steeping it in tradition. By reading on, hopefully we can discern more of a distinction between the lore of the old world and forget the romanticism of the new, and in doing so understand the true journey of the Vampire and his myth through the annals of human history.

During the course of this book we will look at four distinct cultures that have a heritage in the Vampire lore. We will examine the reasons why these civilisations believed the dead rose to feast upon the living, and the ways in which they thought that the undead could be returned to the ground or killed. To examine the journey the Vampire has travelled, we will look at the tradition of Vampirism in ancient Egypt, where they were worshipped as God’s and chosen to lead the people; explore the Mayan Camazotz or ‘death bat’ that was both a deity and devourer; examine the lore of the Greek and Romans, whom believed that there were demons who could take the shape of enticing women in order to drain the blood and life-force of young men, luring them to their doom; much as the sirens drew sailors to their peril. Finally, we will analyse the lore of Europe - particularly the Slavic regions - perhaps most responsible for much of what we know as Vampire myth, and the supposed birthplace of what we would call the more modern Vampire.

Egyptian Mythology

It seems only sensible for us to start our journey in ancient Egypt. As one of the great ancient civilisations, the Egyptians have a rich and complex view and understanding on the afterlife. Therefore, it seems almost obvious that they would have their own form of the Vampire myth. To understand where the idea of Vampires arises in this ancient world, it is perhaps important to examine a little of the Egyptian belief structure and their views of the afterlife first. In doing so it will be easier to appreciate the resemblance to something of what we might call a Vampire today.

The ancient Egyptians believed strongly in the idea of an afterlife and as such, believed at birth that everyone was born with a ‘double’. This double was named the ‘Ka’ and it was there to guide you in life, and upon death it would take over your body and lead it through the afterlife. It represented an almost symbiotic relationship of the body and soul, and once one was gone the other would stay. While the ‘Ka’ is only one of the three parts of the Egyptian soul, it is the one believed to be possessed by everyone, and in need of the body for the afterlife. Therefore, we can see the beginnings of a link to the immortal and undying nature of the Vampire.

When asked what the ancient Egyptians did to their dead, almost everyone would be able answer that they were mummified; but could they tell you why? Mummification is the preserving of the body after death. It was an act that was carried out because the life-force of the dead would carry on into the afterlife. This life-force would need a body to journey to the afterlife, and therefore it would be necessary to preserve the body in death ready for its rebirth on its eternal journey.

It is in these customs and superstitions we can begin to see the early makings of the Vampire myth. What we perceive as a Vampire now, may have some basis in these ancient practices. To us, a Vampire is the undead, risen to drain the life-force of others. We usually imagine them as the same in death as they were in life, unable to age. This could be a connection to the practices of mummification and the ancient belief of eternal life. Once the body died the ‘Ka’ would inherit it, and use it to move about the after-life. The body would look as it did in death, which was a key reason for the process. It was believed that the ‘Ka’ would need to recognise its body in order to take it, making the exact preservation of vital importance to the Egyptians. So in Ancient Egypt, if it were possible to encounter the ‘Ka’, it would be walking around in a body un-aged since its internment in the ground.

It was also believed