Indian Iron Tantric Lingam

Grey and gold, with a column of maroon blots dripping down the front.

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. Plump oval in pale grey fading to tan at the sides. A vertical band of ragged maroon blobs runs down the front, edges feathered like melting wax. Tiny dark specks cluster near the top. It is 12.25 inches high and 6.75 in diameter.

It looks like it sat too close to a candle.