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Found the quoted bit from THIS website (and the whole website in general) interesting.
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Vampire "species"
In Eastern Europe, the vampire is said to have two hearts or two souls; because one heart or soul never dies, the vampire remains undead. Until recently, European vampires were thought to be disgusting monsters often raised from the bodies of peasants and other lower-class people. John William Polidori's Lord Ruthven, featured in his short story The Vampyre and based on Polidori's employer, the famous Romantic poet Lord Byron, was the first recorded vampire to possess intelligence and a kind of preternatural charm; hence, Ruthven could also operate within human society without creating suspicion, as long as his weaknesses are accommodated. Later, Bram Stoker's immensely successful Dracula popularized this new conception of the vampire.
In Aztec mythology, the Civatateo was a sort of vampire, created when a noblewoman died in childbirth.
In Australian aboriginal mythology, the Yara-Ma-Yha-Who (http://www.pantheon....ma-yha-who.html) was a nasty little vampire with suckers on his fingers that lurked in fig trees.
In Malaysian folklore, the Penanggalan was a vampire whose head could separate from its body, with its entrails dangling from the base of its neck. The Pontianak was a female vampire that sucked the blood of newborn babies and sometimes that of young children or pregnant women.
In Philippine folklore, the Manananggal was a female vampire whose entire upper body could separate from her lower body and who could fly using wings. She sucked the blood of fetuses. The Aswang was believed to always be a female of considerable beauty by day and, by night, a fearsome flying fiend. She lived in a house, could marry and have children, and was a seemingly normal human during the daylight hours.
In Bulgaria, a vampire had only one nostril and slept with its left eye open and its thumbs linked. It was also held responsible for cattle plagues.
In Moravia, vampires were fond of throwing off their shrouds and attacking their victims in the nude.
Roma tradition in the Balkans is said to have held that melons and pumpkins may become vampires; see the article on vampire watermelons.
In the Caribbean, vampires known as Soucoyant in Trinidad and Tobago, Ol' Higue in Jamaica and Loogaroo in Grenada take the form of old women during the day, and at night shed their skin to become flying balls of flame who seek blood. They were said to be notoriously obsessive compulsive, and could be thwarted by sprinkling salt or rice at entrances, crossroads and near beds. The vampire would feel compelled to pick up every grain. They could also be killed by rubbing salt into their discarded skin, which would burn them upon returning to it before morning.
In India (especially in the southern state of Kerala) vampires (known as Yakshis) were beautiful women who seduced men in order to kill or eat them. They are said to be averse to iron objects in addition to other religious symbols, and could be killed by driving an iron nail through the head. They could also be imprisoned in trees using blessed objects. India is also home to the vetala, a wraithly vampire that can leave its host body to feed.
In Eastern Europe, the vampire is said to have two hearts or two souls; because one heart or soul never dies, the vampire remains undead. Until recently, European vampires were thought to be disgusting monsters often raised from the bodies of peasants and other lower-class people. John William Polidori's Lord Ruthven, featured in his short story The Vampyre and based on Polidori's employer, the famous Romantic poet Lord Byron, was the first recorded vampire to possess intelligence and a kind of preternatural charm; hence, Ruthven could also operate within human society without creating suspicion, as long as his weaknesses are accommodated. Later, Bram Stoker's immensely successful Dracula popularized this new conception of the vampire.
In Aztec mythology, the Civatateo was a sort of vampire, created when a noblewoman died in childbirth.
In Australian aboriginal mythology, the Yara-Ma-Yha-Who (http://www.pantheon....ma-yha-who.html) was a nasty little vampire with suckers on his fingers that lurked in fig trees.
In Malaysian folklore, the Penanggalan was a vampire whose head could separate from its body, with its entrails dangling from the base of its neck. The Pontianak was a female vampire that sucked the blood of newborn babies and sometimes that of young children or pregnant women.
In Philippine folklore, the Manananggal was a female vampire whose entire upper body could separate from her lower body and who could fly using wings. She sucked the blood of fetuses. The Aswang was believed to always be a female of considerable beauty by day and, by night, a fearsome flying fiend. She lived in a house, could marry and have children, and was a seemingly normal human during the daylight hours.
In Bulgaria, a vampire had only one nostril and slept with its left eye open and its thumbs linked. It was also held responsible for cattle plagues.
In Moravia, vampires were fond of throwing off their shrouds and attacking their victims in the nude.
Roma tradition in the Balkans is said to have held that melons and pumpkins may become vampires; see the article on vampire watermelons.
In the Caribbean, vampires known as Soucoyant in Trinidad and Tobago, Ol' Higue in Jamaica and Loogaroo in Grenada take the form of old women during the day, and at night shed their skin to become flying balls of flame who seek blood. They were said to be notoriously obsessive compulsive, and could be thwarted by sprinkling salt or rice at entrances, crossroads and near beds. The vampire would feel compelled to pick up every grain. They could also be killed by rubbing salt into their discarded skin, which would burn them upon returning to it before morning.
In India (especially in the southern state of Kerala) vampires (known as Yakshis) were beautiful women who seduced men in order to kill or eat them. They are said to be averse to iron objects in addition to other religious symbols, and could be killed by driving an iron nail through the head. They could also be imprisoned in trees using blessed objects. India is also home to the vetala, a wraithly vampire that can leave its host body to feed.
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William of Newburgh (1136?-1198?) was a 12th century English historian, and monk, from Yorkshire.
His major work was Historia rerum Anglicarum (History of English Affairs), a history of England from 1066 to 1198. The work is valued by historians for detailing the anarchy under Stephen of England. It is written in an engaging fashion and still highly readable to this day, containing many fascinating stories and glimpses in to 12th century medieval life.
Newburgh has been called by Freeman "the father of historical criticism"1. Newburgh saw his own work as being historically accurate, unlike Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the British Kings, which Newburgh was critical of saying "only a person ignorant of ancient history would have any doubt about how shamelessly and impudently he lies in almost everything".2
Because belief in souls returning from the dead was common in the 12th century, Newburghs Historia briefly recants stories he heard about revenants, as does the work of Walter Map, his southern contemporary. Although a minor part of both works, these folklore accounts have attracted attention within occultism.
His major work was Historia rerum Anglicarum (History of English Affairs), a history of England from 1066 to 1198. The work is valued by historians for detailing the anarchy under Stephen of England. It is written in an engaging fashion and still highly readable to this day, containing many fascinating stories and glimpses in to 12th century medieval life.
Newburgh has been called by Freeman "the father of historical criticism"1. Newburgh saw his own work as being historically accurate, unlike Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the British Kings, which Newburgh was critical of saying "only a person ignorant of ancient history would have any doubt about how shamelessly and impudently he lies in almost everything".2
Because belief in souls returning from the dead was common in the 12th century, Newburghs Historia briefly recants stories he heard about revenants, as does the work of Walter Map, his southern contemporary. Although a minor part of both works, these folklore accounts have attracted attention within occultism.
So, I think I have a link to Newburgh's works online. Over the next few days I'll see if I can find these references that are apparently in Historia rerum Anglicarum and post them here.
