In studying many of the most successful civilizations in human history, a large number of commonalities begin to appear between civilizations that have never had no contact: religion, codified laws, division of labor, and zombies! Although widespread in modern literature, the concept of zombies can be identified in literature dating back to ancient Sumer. As surprising as it may seem, zombies are as old as humans and have appeared in the cultures of civilizations such as ancient Sumer, the Qing dynasty of China, Germany and many others. Cultures around the world have developed variations of the "zombie" idea, as people must face their worst fears of what might happen to them in order to live without fear of the unknown. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Historically, distinct ideas about zombies developed by cultures have had many similarities, including a close association with spirituality. The Haitian Zonbi were transformed into zombies when a vulnerable soul was captured by a powerful sorcerer. Similarly, in Germany, the Nachzeherer could cause death by ringing church bells, which would kill anyone who heard the ringing. The association with spirituality continued in England, where the Wights were corpses reanimated by corpses. Zombies in Hindu mythology took the form of Vetala, or demons who take the bodies of humans. Common traits between ideas of zombies in different cultures often indicated people's greater fear for their souls in the afterlife. In addition to a close association with spirituality, premature death was a common thread between versions of the zombie in different cultures. Zonbi were created when a person died abnormally and lingered near the grave. The idea that premature death could lead to zombification has also been seen in China and Germany. In China, Jiangshi could be created when a person suffered a violent death, which would be a form of premature death. The Nachzeherer were created in Germany following accidental death, suicide and illness. The fact that zombie cultural ideals were linked to instances of premature death shows how humans are afraid of dying before they believe their time is up. For all the similarities between zombies of different origins, some distinctions arise simply because each civilization was unique. . The Chinese zombie, the Jiangshi, moved by hopping instead of walking, due to the way corpses were transported in Qing Dynasty China. The Pontianak of Indonesia made their presence known through baby cries that grew fainter as danger approached. In Norse mythology, the Draugr lured its victims into the darkness while the light sapped its powers. The Nords likely place great emphasis on the effects of light and darkness on zombies due to their unique location in the far north of the globe. These distinctions between conceptions of zombies in different cultures show how people from very different civilizations would project unique fears onto their idea of ​​the zombie. The similarities and differences between zombie cultures demonstrate that people need a way to face their worst fears of death. . Zombies are scary because people worry "how bad it would be to become one yourself." Zombies are so closely linked to.