Indian Iron Tantric Lingam

Walnut-brown and burnished, with a grainy gray-plum cap.

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. Narrow oval with a warm, wood-like gloss and orange tones in its brown. A rough, speckled dark cap covers the top and trails in drips down the front. The outline closes neatly at both ends. It is 12 inches high and 6 in diameter.

So woody that smoothness comes as a surprise.