Vampires: The Legends they are based on and Real Life Encounters
We’ve all familiar with vampires from the the sparkly vampires of the Twilight franchise to the more frightening variations like Nosferatu and Bram Stoker’s Dracula. What was the inspiration for these characters and have there been real life encounters with vampires?
Historical Legends of Vampires
Legends of vampires exist across the world with stories coming from almost every continent. The first reports of vampire-like creatures came out of the Persian empire. Pottery shards have been found depicting creatures attempting to drink blood from men.
The ancient cultures of Babylonia and Assyria had legends of a creature called Lilitu who has been connected to Lilith from Hebrew mythology. Lilitu was a demon who fed on the blood of babies.
These cultures had another vampire like creature called estries. These entities were female shapeshifting demons who lurked around villages at night looking to suck the blood of innocent victims.
Greco-Roman mythology has several entities who fit the description of vampires, feasting on the blood of humans under the cover of darkness, the Empusae, the Mormo, the Lamia and the Striges.
Empusa was the daughter of the goddess Hecate who feasted on blood by transforming into a young woman and seducing men before drinking their blood.
The Lamia sucked the blood of young children, preying on them while they slept at night. The striges were described as having the bodies of crows or other birds and feasted on the blood of both children and adults.
Another early legend that fits the label of a vampire is the story of the Egyptian Goddess Sekhmet and the ka.
According to the Egyptian Book of the Dead, The Egyptian goddess Sekhmet was known to have an insatiable taste for blood.
It wasn’t just Egyptian goddesses with this bloodlust however. The Ancient Egyptians believed that every person had an astral companion called the ka. The ka was said to be a spiritual double that lived on after an individual died but only if it had a place to live which is why the Egyptians took great care to preserve their bodies through mummification.
If the ka of dead individuals was not provided with adequate offerings it was said to leave the tomb and feast on the blood of humans to sustain itself.
Africa
Several parts of Africa have folklore featuring creatures with vampire-like abilities.
The Ashanti people of West Africa tell of the sharp toothed tree dwelling vampire called the asanbosam. The Ewe people have the legend of the adze, which shapeshifts into a firefly that hunts children.
Madagascar’s Betsileo people tell of the ramanga, a living vampire who eats the nail clippings and drinks the blood of nobles.
The Americas
The Loogaroo is a legend of a vampire that is widespread through the Caribbean Islands and the southern United States.
Similar vampire-like creatures in the region are the Patasola of Colombian folklore, the Soucouyant and and the Tunda of Trinidad. Hanging Aloe vera behind or near a door was thought to ward off vampires according to South American folklore.
In the USA during the late 18th and 19th centuries belief in vampires was widespread, particularly on the East Coast. There are many reports of families digging up the remains of loved ones who had passed away in order to remove their hearts, which they believed prevented vampirism.
Asia
In the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia there are the Mandurugo, the Penanggalan and the Manananggal who are known for eating peoples organs and drinking their blood. In Vietnam vampires were known as ma cà rồng and like to feast on the blood of pregnant women in particular.
Vampire Sightings and Encounters
The Neplach's Chronicle contains two of the earliest European reports of vampire activity. The writings mention a shepherd named Myslata from Blov the 1336. Myslata died and was buried soon after but he didn’t stay in his grave.
Every evening he was reportedly seen walking around, talking to other village people who were all incredibly frightened. Before long he started to kill the people they visit. It was said if he said someones name they would die within 8 days.
Several nearby villages decided to exhumate his body and burn it. While his body was burning it let out a loud scream. One of the villagers stabbed him in the heart with a stick and a large amount of blood flowed out of the wound. After the body was burned the visitations stopped and no one saw Myslata again.
The second case reportedly occurred in 1344. Neplach wrote about a woman from Levín who after dying being buried came back to life. She is said to have killed several people and danced on top of their bodies.
Her body was also exhumated and a stake was put through her, blood started pouring out of her body as if she she was still alive.
Even after this she was still attacking the villagers so they burnt her body using wood for the roof of the church to start the fire. However, the wood wouldn't catch fire until they used pieces of the church roof to start it.
A report from Croatia from in 1672 described panic descending upon the villagers as they believed Jure Grando who died in 1656 had become a vampire. The villagers claimed Grando returned from the dead and began killing people and drinking their blood. The leader of the village ordered that the corpse be beheaded and a stake driven through it’s heart.
Human Vampires
There are a number of humans who identify as vampires. Some just like the aesthetic and like to wear dark clothes and fangs. Others believe they genuinely need to drink blood to sustain themselves and do this by taking syringes of blood from consenting humans.
If you enjoyed this article you may enjoy reading about the Banshee of Ireland or South America’s La Llorona.
When they reached the car, they found that the driver was dead, and her 18-month-old daughter, though alive, couldn't have been the one speaking.
For more than a hundred years, a ghostly ship has appeared on the Platte River roughly every 25 years. Each sighting has been said to predict the death of someone known to the witness who spotted the eerie vessel.
In the early 1900s, the MacKenzie family line in Scotland experienced several different paranormal omens, warning them about deaths that would soon occur in the family.
Have you been taking photos and discovered mysterious green orbs appearing? What could this mean?
In 1957, Jacqueline and Joanna Pollock lost their lives in a car accident. Their parents believe they were reincarnated the following year as their twin sisters.
A fleshgait is a creature that imitates the voices and appearances of people in the woods, with the intention of luring them away. People who have seen fleshgaits describe them as tall, thin, grey beings with long claws and no hair.
In 1971, strange stains in the shape of human faces started appearing on the kitchen floor of a house in Bélmez de La Moraleda, a little village in Andalusia, Spain.
The Stikini is a humanoid owl that can supernaturally transform from a seemingly ordinary human into the form of an owl.
Black Annis is a blue faced witch from English folklore that is said to have a taste for human flesh and a penchant for wearing the tanned hides of children around her waist.
The Alp of German folklore is a nefarious entity that haunts the nightmares and drains the life force of its unsuspecting victims.
A Victorian-era house stands proudly at 65 Mulberry Street in Quitman, Arkansas. It was built in 1891 and is reportedly haunted by numerous spirits including a WWI soldier, an old man, and a particularly terrifying entity known as the "Dog Boy”.
According to the legend of Tomino’s Hell, if you read the poem aloud you will become cursed.
In the late 16th century, a Newgate Prison inmate in London wrote a terrifying account of a ghostly Black Dog hunting prisoners. Today, reports continue to circulate about this Black Dog haunting the area around the prison.
In Greek folklore, there is an evil undead creature called the Vrykolakas, said to be a type of vampire. If a Vrykolakas knocks on your door and you greet it you will be soon to die.
The Nigerian legend of Madam Koi Koi tells of the spirit of a teacher who haunts boarding schools, preying upon students who arrive too early or stay too late.
La Sayona is a vengeful ghost on the Venezuelan plains, known to seek out and punish unfaithful men who do not escape her wrath.
In 1996, Ukrainian artist Svetlana Telets created a strange painting of a woman in the rain. She has sold it several times, each time it was returned due to the unsettling paranormal activity it brought with it.
If you’re out after dark in Abbeville, Alabama, you might run into Huggin’ Molly. Huggin’ Molly is a 7ft tall woman who loves to grab children in a hug-like embrace and scream in their ears.
Hannah Cranna was a woman accused of being a witch in Connecticut in the 1800s. Legend has it that she had the ability to curse those who wronged her. Some say she even haunts the area to this day.
The Badlands of Dakota are a strange and eerie place, with colorful but bleak peaks and labyrinthine canons, that some say are haunted by a banshee.
There exists a concealed cave that harbors a sinister history spanning more than three centuries. Legend has it that all that enter the cave are cursed.
The Cyhyraeth (pronounced 'cuh-huh-raith') is a ghostly spirit or apparition that is part of Welsh mythology and folklore. It is described as a disembodied moaning or wailing voice that is heard before the death of a person.
La Carreta Chillona is a ghostly unmanned wagon that drives through the streets at night, collecting the soul of anyone who lays eyes upon it.
The Sallie House in Atchison, Kansas has a dark history of death and sorrow. Many claim to have experienced paranormal activity while in the house including receiving unexplained injuries and having objects melt for no reason.
An urban legend spread throughout Latin America in the late 1980s telling of a knife being hidden in Fofao dolls. It turns out it was somewhat based in reality.
Several people have reported seeing a large cat lurking around the US Government buildings in Washington D.C. Some say the cat appears as a warning before significant events.
In 2015 a spree of suicides took place in the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Some believe these were caused by an evil spirit called Walking Sam.
According to Chinese legend, Diao Si Gui are the souls of those who took their own lives or were executed. These spirits may manifest as a body with a protruding, lengthy red tongue and attempt to persuade those who cross their path to join them in the world beyond.
A weird question perhaps, but one that has puzzled internet users over the last few years... do ghosts have teeth?
Do you want to use a Ouija Board but are not 100% sure what is safe to do and what isn’t? Our list of 18 Ouija Board rules will help to steer you in the right direction.
Many people swear that opening an umbrella indoors will bring bad luck but is there any logic behind this superstition?
"Dropping an egg brings bad luck." Is there any truth to this belief, or is it a superstition woven from the threads of cultural folklore? Let's take a closer look.
The belief that whistling indoors brings bad luck is rooted in different cultures and folklore. We’re not 100% sure how the superstition came to be its current form but here are a few theories.
Superstitions have always played a fascinating role in various cultures, shaping our beliefs and influencing our daily routines. One such belief revolves around the idea that doing laundry on a Sunday or on New Year’s Day brings bad luck. But is there any truth to these claims?
There is a popular superstition that suggests that killing a butterfly brings bad luck. This belief has been deeply ingrained in various cultures, but is there any truth to it?
In this article, we'll explore the origins of the spider bad luck myth and examine whether there's any merit to this superstition.
Are you experiencing a ringing in your ears that you think might have a spiritual significance?
We’ve all daydreamed about being able to instantly be transported from one place to another but is it actually possible to teleport?
What is the story behind the “28 day cycle” theory talked about in the Netflix show 28 Days Haunted?
Tzilacatzin was a incredibly skilled warrior from Tlatelolco, part of the Otomi or Otontin warrior class. He became famous for being a hero during the Siege of Tenochtitlan.
Gemini and Aries are about 70% compatible with one another in love and intimate relationships.
Tyromancy is a form of divination that uses cheese to predict the future and gain insight into current events.
In folklore, hag stones were thought to be gifts from the fairies, and were believed to have the power to protect against evil spirits and witches.
Opening a portal to paranormal realms comes with risk. When communicating with spirits you are unintentionally offering yourself up as a vessel through which they can communicate.
We have compiled a list of different ways that people believe enable us to communicate with the dead.
We have gathered several psychic predictions about the Ukraine War to see if they can give us some insight into when this horrible situation will be over.
You may have seen the memes circulating that mention the Bite of 87 but where does the reference come from?
For some people when we spill a bit of salt the first thing we do is throw a bit over our shoulder without even thinking. Where did this strange ritual come from?
The last few years have been a bit of a nightmare for many of us all over the world. Will 2023 be any better or bring us more “unprecedented events”? Here’s what psychic’s are predicting for the coming year.
Do you have unexplained paranormal activity happening in your home? Are objects moving by themselves, disembodied voices whispering in your ear or temperatures dropping for no reason? You may have an unwanted spirit in your home! But how do you get rid of it?
Have you got strange paranormal activity happening in your home? This article will help you differentiate between harmless spirit activity and more menacing demonic presences.
Who doesn’t want a cuddly soft cryptid plushie toy to cuddle? We have found the five cutest cryptid plush toys on Amazon to protect you from the real thing!
Do you ever get an intense, inexplicable itch in a random place on your body? According to some superstitions unexplained itching on various body parts can have different spiritual and psychic meanings.
Squishmallows are taking the world by storm! If you want to get your kid the toy they desperately want while also introducing them to your interests in the paranormal these squishmallows will make a great gift.
Do you have someone in your life that is impossible to buy for but has a love of Bigfoot? We have assembled some of the coolest bigfoot themed gift ideas to give you some inspiration!
Hunting Haunted Secrets: YouTuber Somnus Papilio Uses Spirit Words to Uncover a Mysterious Pond