Slavic spiritualism
Although many cultures possess revenant superstitions comparable to the Eastern European vampire, the Slavic vampire is the revenant superstition that pervades popular culture's concept of vampires. The roots of vampire belief in Slavic culture largely originate in the spiritual beliefs and practices of pre-Christianized Slavic peoples and in their understanding of life after death. Despite a lack of pre-Christian Slavic writings describing the details of the "Old Religion", Slavic peoples sustained many pagan spiritual beliefs and rituals even after the official Christianization of their societies. Examples of such beliefs and practices include ancestor worship, household spirits, and beliefs about the soul after death. The origins of vampire beliefs in Slavic regions can be traced to the complex structure of Slavic spiritualism.