SEAArch - The Southeast Asian Archaeology Newsblog

10 May 2007 (Thanh Nien News) - The first find of its kind, a stone linga and yoni have been found in central Vietnam. The Linga is associated with the Hindu god, Shiva and its symbolism includes the fountain of life and phallus. The Yoni symbolises the source of all existence and the female genitalia. Collectively, they represent unification of male and female. The Lingam-Yoni find in central Vietnam is not surprising considering the kingdom of Champa in the 9th century was Saivite, and Shiva-Linga were often the focus of worship in Saivite temples.

Rare ancient object found in Vietnam central province

A stone statue of worship dating back to the ninth century was unearthed Thursday in Vietnam’s central province of Binh Thuan, with local authorities saying the find is the first of its kind in the area.

According to Nguyen Xuan Ly, director of the provincial museum, the statue is called Linga and Yoni – a divine worship object depicting the male sex and female genitalia united in a representation of the fountain of life.

Related Books:
- The Art of Champa by J. Hubert
- Hindu-Buddhist Art Of Vietnam: Treasures From Champa by E. Guillon

Tags: Binh Thuan province, Champa Kingdom, Hindu Culture, Linga, Lingam-Yoni, Nguyen Xuan Ly, Shiva, Shiva-Lingam, Vietnam Archaeology, Yoni

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