Indian Iron Tantric Lingam

Olive-green with red brush strokes, as if a painter wiped a brush.

This tantric lingam is from Narmada River, Madhya Pradesh, India. It is quartz crystal & iron. Brahmin villages along a short part of the river traditionally gathered lingams from shallow water in the dry season, then shaped and hand-polished them, sometimes for as long as a year. Rounded oval in muted green-grey. Broken horizontal red streaks cross the upper half, with tiny dark marks like pen scribbles above. The lower portion darkens to slate with faint ridges. The surface has a gentle shine. It is 11 inches high and 6.75 in diameter.

Abstract art that happened without anyone holding the brush.