Creatrix Studies Archives
Table of Contents
Hwang Dissertation Chapters 6 & 7
Annotated Bibliography made by Christiane Pedros
Hwang Dissertation Chapters 6 & 7
“Seeking Mago, the great goddess : a mytho-historic-thealogical reconstruction of Magoism, an archaically originated gynocentric tradition of East Asia”
Annotated Bibliography made by Christiane Pedros
Sea Monsters, Dragons, and the Divine Feminine
Introduction
Across ancient cultures, sea monsters and dragon-like beings were often used to represent chaos, creation, and divine power. Figures such as Rahab, Labbu, Tannin, Tiamat, Tehom, and Lilith appear in Mesopotamian myths, the Hebrew Bible, and later religious traditions as symbolic forces connected to water, the deep, and cosmic forces. This annotated bibliography explores how ancient texts, biblical scholarship, early Christian writings, and modern interpretations—including Indigenous Hawaiian cosmology and contemporary spiritual authors—understand these figures.
Core Ancient & Biblical Mythology
Dalley, Stephanie. Myths from Mesopotamia: Creation, the Flood, Gilgamesh, and Others. Oxford University Press, 2008.
https://global.oup.com/academic/product/myths-from-mesopotamia-9780199538362
This book presents translations of ancient Mesopotamian myths, including the Enuma Elish, which features Tiamat, a powerful female sea figure connected to chaos and creation. Dalley explains how Tiamat represents dangerous but creative forces before being defeated to form the world. Because the book is based on original ancient texts and scholarly commentary, it is a reliable academic source. This work is useful for understanding early connections between the sea, creation, and feminine divine power.
Day, John. God’s Conflict with the Dragon and the Sea. Cambridge University Press, 1985.
https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/gods-conflict-with-the-dragon-and-the-sea/
Day examines biblical sea monsters such as Rahab and Tannin, explaining how they symbolize chaos rather than literal creatures. He compares biblical poetry with older Near Eastern myths. This source helps explain how dragon imagery was adapted into religious texts.
Jeremias, Alfred. The Old Testament in the Light of the Ancient East. G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1911.
https://archive.org/details/oldtestamentinli01jere
Jeremias compares biblical texts with ancient Near Eastern myths and symbols. He discusses creation imagery and sea monsters, helping explain how figures like Rahab and Tannin fit into a wider mythological context. Although older, this work is useful for understanding early comparative scholarship.
Lambert, W. G. Babylonian Creation Myths. Eisenbrauns, 2013.
🔗 https://www.eisenbrauns.org/books/titles/978-1-57506-247-1.html
Lambert studies Babylonian myths and the idea of the deep, connected to Tehom in the Hebrew Bible. This source shows how sea imagery shaped ideas of chaos and creation.
Lu, Rosanna A. “The Deification and Demonization of Tĕhôm: From Deity to Deep.” University of California eScholarship, 2018.
🔗 https://escholarship.org/content/qt0rn492nd/qt0rn492nd_noSplash_9e95deb0eb112cd02c17795f5a566cd8.pdf
This academic article focuses on Tehom, explaining how “the deep” shifts from a powerful force to a more abstract or threatening concept in biblical and later Jewish texts. This source helps explain how sea-chaos imagery evolves over time.
Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
Noegel, Scott B. “Jonah and Leviathan: Inner-Biblical Allusions and the Deep Symbolism.” Journal of Biblical Literature, 2015.
🔗 https://faculty.washington.edu/snoegel/PDFs/articles/noegel-jonah-2015.pdf
Noegel examines how Leviathan imagery functions symbolically in the Book of Jonah and other biblical texts. He shows that sea monsters represent chaos and divine encounter rather than literal creatures.
Middleton, J. Richard. “Created in the Image of a Violent God? Myth and Metaphor in the Old Testament.” 2004.
🔗 https://jrichardmiddleton.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/middleton-created-in-the-image-of-a-violent-god.pdf
Middleton explains how biblical writers reused ancient Near Eastern Chaoskampf imagery but transformed it into metaphor within monotheistic theology.
Gurevitch, Danielle. “Symbolism and Fantasy of the Biblical Leviathan.” Journal for the Study of Religions and Ideologies, 2014.
🔗 https://cismor.jp/uploads-images/sites/3/2015/05/ffa6904f942488ee32d841f42242e6a3.pdf
This article traces how Leviathan changes from a terrifying monster into a symbolic figure in later religious thought.
Feminine Divine & Early Christian Texts
Patai, Raphael. The Hebrew Goddess. Wayne State University Press, 1990.
https://wsupress.wayne.edu/9780814322710
Patai examines feminine divine figures in Jewish tradition, including Lilith, showing how these figures evolve over time.
King, Karen L. The Gospel of Mary of Magdala. Polebridge Press, 2003.
https://www.harvard.com/book/9781598151831
The Nag Hammadi Library. Translated by James M. Robinson. HarperOne, 1990.
https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-nag-hammadi-scriptures-marvin-w-meyerjames-m-robinson?variant=40827774631970
These texts introduce Sophia, a divine feminine figure representing wisdom and cosmic creation.
First Nations & Modern Interpretations
Hanalei, Keoni. Hawaiian Cosmology and Star Knowledge.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYj2sRCmFRU
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJu-lhm66Fg
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITF8Z_siwLs
Keoni Hanalei is a Hawaiian cultural practitioner who teaches Indigenous cosmology and star knowledge through oral tradition. He discusses celestial patterns sometimes associated with serpent or dragon imagery, including references to the Draco constellation. This source represents Indigenous knowledge rather than academic scholarship.
AnRa, Araya. The Dragon Within. Invoke Healing International, 2019.
https://www.arayaanra.com/the-dragon-within
This modern spiritual book presents dragons as beings of healing and transformation. It is not academic but shows how dragon symbolism is used in contemporary divine feminine spirituality.
Williams, Ani. Guardians of the Dragon Path. Flower of Life Press, 2023.
🔗 https://aniwilliams.com/guardians-of-the-dragon-path-book
Williams connects dragon symbolism, sacred landscapes, and Mary Magdalene traditions. Her work blends travel, mythology, and spiritual interpretation and shows how ancient symbols continue to be reimagined today.