Coven or covan was originally a late medieval Scots word (c1500) meaning a gathering of any kind according to the Oxford English Dictionary. It derives from the Latin root word convoco meaning to come together or to gather, which also gave rise to the English word convene. The first recorded use of it being applied to witches comes from a much later date from 1662 in the witchtrial of Isabel Gowdie which describes a coven of 13 members. Margaret Murray used this evidence to claim that all witches across Europe met in groups of thirteen which they called covens. She went on to manipulate the figures in other trials to come to a similar total, though even then she could only come up with eighteen total out of the hundreds of recorded trials. She also provided no evidence the word itself was used outside Scotland at the time of the witchhunts, nor why her ancient prehistoric religion were using a word which of recent date derived from Latin. After Murray popularised the word in the 1920s Gerald Gardner adopted it in his works on Wicca hence its modern use in that religion.1 The Coven in Modern Wicca
A coven is, in brief, a gathering or association of witches. The number of persons involved may vary, although while thirteen has been suggested any number above three can be a coven. Two would usually be referred to as a working couple (in any combination of sexes.) It is commonly said that a coven larger than thirteen is unweildy as group dynamics make it difficult. The term has been used with both positive and negative connotations, largely dependent on the speaker's view of witches and witchcraft.
In Wicca and similar religions, the term coven implies a gathering similar to that implied by congregation in Christian parlance. It is composed of a group of believers gathered together for a ceremony of worship such as Drawing down the Moon .
2 Covens in Literature and Popular Culture
An intermediate view is often portrayed in fantasy stories and popular culture. In this usage, a coven is a gathering of witches to work spells in tandem. Such imagery can be traced back to Renaissance prints depicting witches and to the three 'weird sisters' in Shakespeare's play Macbeth. More orgiastic witches's meetings are also depicted in Robert BurnsRobert Burns ( January 25, 1759 July 21, 1796) is the best known of the poets who have written in Scots. His poem Auld Lang Syne is often sung at Hogmanay. Born in Alloway, Ayrshire, Scotland to a poor farming family, his parents made sure that he was wel's poem Tam O'Shanter and in Goethe's play FaustFaust is the protagonist of a popular German tale that has been used as the basis for many different fictional works. It concerns the fate of a learned gentleman, Faust, who summons the Devil, who in the tale is usually called Mephistopheles, and offers t. Movie portrayals have included, e.g. The CraftThe Craft is a 1996 movie directed by Andrew Fleming about a girl who moves to California and meets three friends who teach her about the world of witchcraft. As they become more adept at witchcraft, they experience good fortune, and put curses on their e and COVEN (pronounced ko ven) (documented in the movie American MovieAmerican Movie is a documentary about the making of an independent film. A good synopsis can be found on the movie's web site: Documentary films.)
Witchcraft
