What the Word Means

• Literally: Derived from Latin (ante- meaning “before” and diluvium meaning “deluge”), it historically refers to any time period or living thing before the great biblical flood of Noah’s Ark. Generally, it is just a dramatic or humorous way to describe something incredibly old. [1, 2]
• In Vampire Lore: In roleplaying games like Vampire: The Masquerade, the “Antediluvians” are the god-like, 3rd-generation vampires. They are the original founders of the 13 vampire clans who are rumored to have survived the biblical flood. [1, 2, 3]

Do they have “original blood”?

Yes, in the context of vampire mythology. Because they are only two generations removed from the very first vampire (Caine), their blood (or vitae) is considered the purest and most potent source of vampiric power. Every younger vampire is a descendant of these original 13 survivors, meaning their blood carries a diluted form of the Antediluvians’ power. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Would you like to explore the origins of the original 13 clans, or are you looking for the usage of the word in a different context?

Because living human red blood cells have a lifespan of only about 120 days, blood itself does not survive for 250,000 years in liquid form. Instead, finding blood of this age points to one of two scientific scenarios: [1, 2]

• An Archaeological Discovery: You possess ancient protein residue (like that found on Paleolithic stone tools). In 2016, researchers successfully extracted 250,000-year-old animal blood residue (including rhino, horse, and camel) from hand axes in the Middle East. 
• Biological or Epigenetic Age: You may be referring to your biological age via an epigenetic blood test. These tests use DNA methylation to calculate biological age. If a test calculates a massive biological age, it implies extreme accelerated aging, which is physically impossible and points to a critical error or misunderstanding of the test’s results. 

Would you like to know more about how epigenetic clocks work to measure biological age, or about the archaeological techniques used to find blood residue on ancient tools? Let me know what you’d like to dive into.