An assembly of witches is a gathering of people who practice witchcraft and other forms of magic. The term 'sabbat' is used to refer to a large gathering of witches, typically held at night and often outdoors. A COVEN is a smaller group of witches, usually consisting of 13 members. A SYNOD is a larger gathering of witches, usually involving more than one COVEN. The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts between 1692 and 1693.