The vampire is truly a global archetype, with myths related to the dead which rise to drink the blood of the living coming out of cultures all around the world. From Africa to Korea to Russia and France, humans have paid tribute to vampires for centuries. Nowhere, however, do we see more vampire folklore than in the stories of the Slavic people.

 Some argue that these beliefs have been introduced by the many gypsies who migrated from northern India where certain bloodthirsty deities (such as Kali) are worshipped.

Let us examine other countries and traditions to find out if we can determine the origin of the myth.