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There are a great number of myths surrounding vampires. Many of these myths find their roots in early Christian doctrine. Others are the result of the superstitious people of the Middle Ages. Vampires Are Repelled By Crosses And Holy Water The root of this myth is in Christianity. The early vampire myths that spread across Europe were passed on by early Christians. Bram Stoker is a more modern example, but nonetheless, he was Christian as well. The victims of vampires are almost always Christians. As a result, crosses and holy water offer Christians protection from a devil that has manifested itself in the form of the vampire. The effect of holy water upon vampires has more to do with purification. As holy water is blessed by an ordained priest of God, it has the power to purify anything evil. Therefore, the power holy water has over vampires can only exist in a Christian vampire context. Vampires Sleep In Coffins It is speculated that the root of this myth originates from ancient grave diggers. There was no shortage of stories in the Middle Ages that dealt with vampires rising from graveyard coffins in the middle of the night. The myth would later evolve to include the notion that vampires must sleep in the native soil that they were originally buried in. Traditionally, vampires would crawl back to their grave each night. If a vampire wanted to travel to a new region, the vampire would have to take some soil from his or her grave along. In this manner, a vampire could return to the soil of his or her native grave each night. Later, the myth would evolve yet again to include protection from the sun. Kill A Vampire By Stabbing A Stake Through Their Heart The disease consumption, more commonly known as Tuberculosis is a micro bacterial disease that attacks the lungs. In the advanced stages of the disease the host coughs up blood and finally dies. In the Middle Ages both the disease consumption and vampire rumors were running rampant. It became a common belief that if you did not pin a victim of consumption to their grave, by means of a stake through the heart, the victim would rise the next night and become a vampire. A wooden stake was used for this pinning, as it was the most common tool available for the job. Iron was much harder to come by, so traditional nails were expensive. Vampires Cannot See Their Reflection In Mirrors Early vampires were portrayed as demons walking in animate dead corpses. These corpses were no longer occupied by their original owners. The souls of these recently dead had ascended into heaven. The demons now occupying the bodies of the recently dead were without a soul. As a result, they could not see their reflection in the mirror. Vampires Die In Sunlight The origins of this myth are rooted in the belief that vampires are servants of Satan. Vampires were soulless demons that wandered the night. Their power grew in darkness. They could not thrive in the light, as light is equated with things that are good and holy. God is light and it is light that drives away demons. Vampires And Bats A popular vampire myth is that vampires can turn into bats. This is a more recent concept, as earlier myths about vampires have no connection with bats. The connection no doubt exists in the modern era due to the vampire bat. This creature doesn't thrive in Romania or Europe, but rather in tropical and subtropical America, most notably from southern Mexico to northern Argentina. There are three species of vampire bat: Desmodus rotundus, Diphylla ecaudata, and Diaemus youngi. Each species feeds solely on blood. Vampires And The Blood Of The Young This myth mirrors the Victorian-era ballyhoo over the sexual awakening of young women. The myth is perpetuated through the life of the Countess Elizabeth Bathori. She was a Hungarian Countess that lived almost 400 years ago. She is regarded as the most notorious female serial killer of all time. She was accused of killing over 600 victims. However, she was only convicted on 80 counts. In her castle she imprisoned young girls. She tortured them, drank their blood, and finally killed them. After her death in 1614 numerous tales emerged. She was accused of bathing in the blood of virgins in an attempt to retain her youth. She was given nicknames such as The Bloody Lady of Cachtice and The Blood Countess. More recently there is the case of Friedrich "Fritz" Haarmann, who lived from October 25, 1879 to April 15, 1925. Born in Hanover, Germany, this serial killer killed at least 24 young men. His victims were mostly male prostitutes and vagrants who congregated in downtown Hanover. Haarmann would lure these men back to his apartment and then brutally assault them. He would bite through their throats, drink their blood, and kill them. Haarmann would later become known as The Butcher of Hanover. His life would add to the vampire myth and the idea that drinking the blood of the young could help prolong your life. Conclusion Vampire myths are numerous in nature. Their spread has been the result of early Christian doctrine coupled with the superstitions of the Middle Ages. In modern times these myths are perpetuated and updated via fiction and literature. Today these myths continue to thrive thanks in part to the actions of insane individuals such as Friedrich Haarmann.
Gen Wright is a contributor to the online community Vampire Rave, a social network with a vampire theme. He also contributes to SciFi Section, a science fiction community.
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