264 - STONE LINGAM INDIA 12TH CENTURY

STONE LINGAM INDIA 12TH CENTURY Dimensions: Height 8,1 cm Wide 7 cm Depth 10 cm Weight: 546 grams A small but arresting stone Shiva lingam, the upright central shaft emerging from a broad channelled yoni base with a projecting spout. Multiple human faces are carved around the upper portion, their profiles turning in different directions. Darkened areas on the shaft and rim contrast with the warmer sandy tones of the stone, while the incised contours of the base emphasize the ritual geometry of the object. The lingam is the principal emblem of Shiva in Shaiva worship. When faces are incorporated into the shaft, the image is known as a mukhalinga, combining the god's aniconic presence with personified manifestations. The yoni base is integral to the ritual form and receives liquids poured over the lingam during worship, directing them outward through its channel.