The Original Lamia

One of the earliest beings to show some serious vampire-like characteristics is the ancient lamia, a usually female or hermaphroditic demon that prowled the night looking for tasty humans. She’s described as having the head and breasts of a woman, but the lower body of a snake. Her favorite snack was sleeping babies whom she…

Greece and Vampires

The beautiful country of Greece is one of the great vampire countries, the home of many undead. Greece has an abundance of vampire lore and myths, all of which have been well documented throughout time. Greek undead date all the way to the ancient world, with such wicked creatures as the lamia, empusa, ephialtae and…

Gello: Child Eating Demoness

Gello exists in several cultures, under several names, such as Gyllou, Gylou, Gillo; many folklore experts and historians believe the Gello is the source of many vampire beliefs. Gello is a female demon that causes infertility, spontaneous miscarriage, and an eater of children. Walter Burkert, an expert on ancient mythology, established a link between the…

Sex, Blood and Mythology

Let’s take a look at Ancient Greek mythology – you have a handful of petty gods and with them, countless monsters that come in all shapes and sizes. Nothing new there, but… did you know that hidden among all of those monsters and myths there was a vampire in there? And she’s the lustful, ravenous…