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SiO₂
Shiva lingam
The river rolls cryptocrystalline quartz into eggs, and the red marks are iron, not paint.
- Formula
- SiO₂
- Mohs hardness
- 6.5–7
- Crystal system
- trigonal
- Colour
- many-coloured
- Element
- water
- Chakra (tradition)
- sacral
- Zodiac
- Scorpio, Cancer
- Month
- —
- Where the earth keeps it
- Narmada, India
What it actually is
Shiva lingam is SiO₂ before it is a story. The lattice is trigonal, Mohs 6.5–7, and the eye meets many-coloured.
The better pieces still come out of the ground in Narmada, India. The river rolls cryptocrystalline quartz into eggs, and the red marks are iron, not paint.
What the old tradition whispers
The parlour tradition ties Shiva lingam to water and to the sacral centre. The old site stood it near: Scorpio, Cancer.
How not to turn it to ash
Quartz will take lukewarm water and a cloth. Long sun fades amethyst and rose quartz. Perfume is a worse neighbour than dust.