Symbolic Secrets of Two Female Representations in Christian Iconography: the Lily and the Serpent

Authors : Fevziye Eker, Derya Topaloğlu
Pages : 1005-1029
Doi:10.17218/hititsbd.1712876
View : 102 | Download : 199
Publication Date : 2025-12-31
Article Type : Research Paper
Abstract :The research investigates the representation of two powerful symbols in Christian iconography: the Lily and the Serpent. Rooted in notions of female purity and fetishism, these symbols reveal the idealized mysteries of the Virgin Mary and Lilith, reflecting the duality between the veneration and demonization of women as divine figures. In Christian mysticism, the Lily symbolizes Mary’s Immaculate Conception and sacred motherhood, while the Serpent represents Lilith in the context of original sin, rebellion against God, and sexual awakening. While depictions of Mary emphasize obedience, holiness, and social idealization, representations of Lilith evoke rebellion, sexuality and a perceived threat to social norms. In this context, the research concludes that cultural representations have transformed women into dual figures, both exalted and demonized. It aims to uncover the hidden dimensions of the Lily and the Serpent and to reveal how these mysteries shape the cultural, religious, and ideological constructions of female identity. The study also investigates how women have been symbolically positioned as either sacred or condemned, creating an ambivalent perception of femininity, and explores the relationship between these two contrasting representations. A qualitative approach combining iconographic and content analysis was employed to examine sacred texts, theological writings, and visual materials such as manuscripts, frescoes, and paintings. These examples were analyzed through a dual comparative framework to identify the symbolic meanings attributed to female identity. The findings reveal that the figures of Mary and Lilith- embodied through the Lily and the Serpent- represent two opposing poles of womanhood in Christian culture. Furthermore, by enhancing Lilith’s visibility as an alternative to Eve-centered symbolism, the research provides a deeper interpretive framework for female representation in Christian iconography.
Keywords : Lily, yılan, Meryem ana, lilith, ikonografi

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