Witches, and vampires and creepy clowns oh my!

Halloween is a delightfully spooky and haunted time of year that dates back to ancient times. Many of the most classic symbols of the season have a fascinating history and dark stories to tell.

History.com is all about telling competing tales of the past, and they’ve rounded up 8 of Halloween’s Most Hair-Raising Folk Legends.

Find out how far witches date back, where werewolves first popped up in the world and why the fear of zombies has some basis in fact. Among other chilling tales and further reading if you need to know all you can about creepy clowns or mummies.

Enjoy!