This Obscure Fact about Vampires vs. Vampire Bats
Vampires. Some of pop culture’s favorite monsters to depict. Today, vampire movies and shows range from Twilight to Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Many people believe that the original idea of vampires feasting on blood came from the vampire bat. But that is not the case. “TIL that the vampires were not inspired by bats. Bloodsucking bats were only discovered in Latin America in the 16th century, while the earliest vampires stories were from 12th century Europe.” – Obscure Fact by Ptcruz
It’s hard to pinpoint the very first mention of vampires in any type of culture or folklore. Many different cultural descriptions of things describing what we would consider vampires can be found throughout the world. In European folklore, often visited loved ones and caused mischief or deaths in the neighborhoods 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. Cultures such as the Mesopotamians, Hebrews, Ancient Greeks, Manipuri and Romans had tales of demons and spirits which are considered precursors to modern vampires.