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| Credit to playbuzz |
A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead creatures that often visited loved ones and caused mischief or deaths in the neighbourhoods they inhabited while they were alive. They wore shrouds and were often described as bloated and of ruddy or dark countenance, markedly different from today's gaunt, pale vampire which dates from the early 19th century.
*The earliest confirmed record of the word vampire in English dates from 1688, with a lack of explanation of its meaning suggesting it was in regular use.
* Vampire HistoryIn Russian folklore, vampires were said to have once been witches or people who had rebelled against the Russian Orthodox Church while they were alive
*. Burying a corpse upside-down was widespread, as was placing earthly objects, such as scythes or sickles
*One method of finding a vampire's grave involved leading a virgin boy through a graveyard or church grounds on a virgin stallion—the horse would supposedly balk at the grave in question
*Some traditions also hold that a vampire cannot enter a house unless invited by the owner; after the first invitation they can come and go as they please.
*Methods of destroying suspected vampires varied, with staking the most commonly cited method, particularly in South Slavic cultures
