Drilled pendants from Lingam “the sacred altar stone” from India with drilled silver pin & hanging eye.

In Hinduism, a lingam (Sanskrit: लिङ्गं) is a phallic-shaped, elongated object, usually a small pillar or column, that represents the creative power of the god Shiva. Lingams are almost always made of stone. During a ritual, milk or water is poured over the lingam. Flowers are then placed on it. Many lingams have a yoni, which is a border around the linga in which the offered fluids are collected. The yoni then represents the feminine, while the lingam represents the masculine. Some lingams depict the face of Shiva. This is called an "ekamukha-lingam". A lingam with four faces is called a "chaturmukha lingam". These four faces then symbolize the four aspects of Shiva. A number of naturally formed lingams can be found in India. A well-known example is an icicle that grows every winter in the Amarnath Cave in Kashmir. Thousands of pilgrims visit the cave every year. The lingam may have been worshiped in India before Shaivism (the cult in which Shiva is seen as the main deity) emerged. Although lingams play no role in Buddhism, stupas built in caves by Buddhists came into use as lingams by Shaivists after the Buddhists left these caves behind. This is the case in a number of caves in the Indian state of Maharashtra. According to legend, a saint named Bhrigu once had to wait too long for Shiva because he was making love to Parvati. After years of waiting, the saint is said to have finally placed a curse that would cause Shiva to be worshiped as his own penis from now on