Mutilated corpses and undead mothers-in-law: vampire epidemics through history
John Blair charts how fears of the undead rising from their graves have recurred in societies around the globe throughout history
Fears of the undead rising from their graves to cause trouble have recurred in societies around the globe throughout the centuries. But why was your mother-in-law especially likely to become a vampire? What makes Count Dracula a highly unusual bloodsucker? And how would you best mutilate a vampire's corpse to neutralise their threat? Speaking to Ellie Cawthorne, Professor John Blair shares stories of vampire 'epidemics' throughout history from his new book Killing the Dead.
John Blair is the author of Killing the Dead: Vampire Epidemics from Mesopotamia to the New World (Princeton University Press, 2025).
Authors
Ellie Cawthorne is HistoryExtra’s podcast editor. She also contributes to BBC History Magazine, runs the podcast newsletter and hosts several live and virtual BBC History Magazine events.