Indian Iron Tantric Lingam

Butter-yellow lower half, with a brick-red helmet brushed on in streaks.

This tantric lingam is from Narmada River, Madhya Pradesh, India. It is quartz crystal & iron. Dams planned along the Narmada since the 1940s have steadily removed the dry season that harvesting depends on, so gathering genuine lingams from the riverbed has become close to impossible. Stout oval with a creamy yellow base that carries faint horizontal banding and tiny dark flecks. A band of maroon and brown, dragged across in brush-like strokes, wraps the upper third and drips down in one spot. It is 7.5 inches high and 4.5 in diameter.

Dressed for a cold morning and a very short walk.