Vampires and vampire legend play significant roles in the cultures of many areas around the world. These blood-sucking beings are most common in the cultures of Eastern Europe , although similar manifestations are reported in some Asian cultures as well as some ancient cultures. Vampire legends have a distinct background bridging several cultures and eras, making them some of the most compelling stories ever told.

From the beginning of history, vampire-like spirits and beings have been recorded. The Akhkharu were blood-sucking demons, written about back in the time of Sumer. The ancient Chinese wrote about "hopping corpses" which would go around and consume a victim's life essence (commonly known as chi). Even ancient Egyptian lore had a story where the goddess Sakhmet was consumed with bloodlust. From the earliest of times, vampire like beings have been prominent in folklore from several different cultures.

The first step in understanding vampire lore is to understand some of the biological reasons that may have led to such beliefs.