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 convenire meaning to come together or to gather, which also gave rise to the English word convene. Scots is an Anglic variety spoken in Scotland, where it is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic spoken by some in the Highlands and Islands (especially the Hebrides). ... The Oxford English Dictionary print set The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is a dictionary published by the Oxford University Press (OUP). ...

The first recorded use of it being applied to witches comes much later, from 1662 in the witch-trial of Isobel Gowdie, which describes a coven of 13 members. Events February 1 - The Chinese pirate Koxinga seizes the island of Taiwan after a nine-month siege. ... Isobel Gowdie, executed in 1662, was a Scottish witch whose detailed confession to witchcraft, apparently achieved without the use of torture, offers one of the most detailed looks at European witchcraft folklore at the end of the era of witch-hunts. ...

The word coven remained largely unused in English until 1921 when Margaret Murray promoted the idea, now much disputed, that all witches across Europe met in groups of thirteen which they called 'covens'. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... This article or section seems not to be written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia entry. ...

The Coven in modern Wicca

In Wicca and other similar forms of modern neopagan witchcraft, a coven is a gathering or community of witches, much like a congregation in Christian parlance. It is composed of a group of believers who gather together for ceremonies of Honor, [Wiccans do not worship, but honor] such as Drawing Down the Moon, or celebrating the Sabbats. The pentagram within a circle, is a symbol of faith used by many Wiccans. ... Neopaganism or Neo-Paganism [1] is any of a heterogeneous group of new religious movements, particularly those influenced by ancient, primarily pre-Christian and sometimes pre-Judaic religions. ... Witchcraft, in various historical, religious and mythical contexts, is the use of certain kinds of alleged supernatural or magical powers. ... This article is part of the Witchcraft series. ... A congregation is the group of members who make up a local Christian church or Jewish synagogue (or those who are present at a service thereat), as opposed to the building itself. ... Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on Jesus of Nazareth, and on his life and teachings as presented in the New Testament. ... While most widely known as the title of an influential book by Margot Adler, Drawing Down The Moon is a powerful ritual now most commonly seen in Wiccan practices, although Judica Illes asserts that the ritual itself predates Wicca by centuries. ... In the Wiccan form of neopaganism, a Sabbat is one of the eight major seasonal festivals which make up the Wheel of the Year. ...

The number of persons involved may vary. Although thirteen has been suggested as the optimum number (probably in deference to Murray's theories), any number above and including 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 unwieldy, as group dynamics tend to grow more difficult. This article or section seems not to be written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia entry. ...

Covens are generally led by a High Priestess and a High Priest, though some are led by only one or the other. In more recent forms of neopagan witchcraft, covens are sometimes run as democracies. The term High Priest may refer to particular individuals who hold the office of ruler-priest in local regional or ethnic contexts. ... The term High Priest may refer to particular individuals who hold the office of ruler-priest in local regional or ethnic contexts. ...

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' meetings are also depicted in Robert Burns' poem Tam o' Shanter and in Goethe's play Faust. Movie portrayals have included, for example, The Craft and COVEN (pronounced ko ven or ku ven) (documented in the movie American Movie). In television, covens were portrayed in the U.S. supernatural drama, Charmed. // For other meanings see Fantasy (disambiguation) Fantasy is a genre of art that uses magic and other supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. ... Raphael was famous for depicting illustrious figures of the Classical past with the features of his Renaissance contemporaries. ... William Shakespeare—born April 1564; baptised April 26, 1564; died April 23, 1616 (O.S.), May 3, 1616 (N.S.)—has a reputation as the greatest of all writers in English. ... Scene from Macbeth, depicting the witches conjuring of an apparition in Act IV, Scene I. Painting by William Rimmer This article is on the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare. ... Robert Burns, preeminent Scottish poet Robert Burns (January 25, 1759 – July 21, 1796) was a poet and songwriter. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: Tam o Shanter This article is about the poem by Robert Burns. ... Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (pronounced [gø tə]) (August 28, 1749–March 22, 1832) was a German writer, politician, humanist, scientist, and philosopher. ... Faust (Latin Faustus) is the protagonist of a popular German tale of a pact with the Devil, assumed to be based on the figure of the German magician and alchemist Dr. Johann Georg Faust (approximately 1480–1540). ... The 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. ... American Movie is a documentary about the making of an independent film. ... Look up Supernatural in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into theatre. ... Charmed was an American television series that ran for eight seasons on The WB. It was produced by Aaron Spelling and is about three sisters who are the worlds most powerful good witches, known throughout the supernatural community as The Charmed Ones but known to everyone else as the...

Covens in a Sanguinarian context

Coven can be a term used to describe a group or community of Sanguinarians, especially those who communicate only over the internet. Its origins almost certainly come from the Wiccan usage of coven. This article or section contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ...

External links

• Finding a Coven
• Working in a Coven - notes from a lecture
• Choosing a Coven by Judy Harrow
• Carlford Coven: a coven in Suffolk, England