When were zombies first discovered?

Answer 1

'Zombies' are works of fiction and have not been 'discovered' as of yet, or perhaps never will be. The word discover meaning to 'realize the existence of. '

A Bit of Clarification

The brain-eating "zombies" popularized by fiction these days do not exist. They are in fact the creations of some very imaginative (if a bit gruesome) minds.

Zombies however have been studied and documented - in the book the Serpent & the Rainbow, written in 1985, by Wade Davis (read the book, it is much better, and more accurate than the video) - among others. They are a small and rather sensationalized part the Haitian religious practices of Voudon.

First myth about flesh-eating zombies is actually very old...it dates from the ages of ancient Sumerians.

One of the most famous "Living Dead" myths is about Sumerian Goddess Ishtar - The descent to the underworld.

This is one of the most memorable verses:

"I will bring up the dead to eat the living.

And the dead will outnumber the living."

The verse clearly states the pattern which indicates the description of the "Living Dead".