An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c17.s10: 12.10 Sex Symbols
An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c17.s10
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12.10 Sex Symbols
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The antiquity of the worship and magical use of sex symols can be traced to the period of pre-Harappa [4.8] and Harappa cultures [4.9], if cultic significance can be attributed to conical objects and ring stones of these cultures. Phallic representations have been reported from Moghul Ghunḍai and Periano Ghundai (n. Baluchistan). A large number of phalli and ring stones in varying sizes have been found at Mohenjo-daro and Harappa. Some of the miniature phalli could have been amulets for apotropaic or magico-protective use as suggested by Marshall [1931, p. 61]. Fairservis [1971, p. 292], refers to the find of a *linga* in a storage jar of Harappa and relates it to cults of rejuvenation and fertility. There are some large realistically modelled phallic stones with smoothened top portion which, according to Marshall, (*ibid.*,) seem to have been used for worship Along with this material for probable phallic worship there is also that of ithyphallicism on a Mohenjo-daro seal of the horned deity (Marshall, *ibid.*, pp. 13, 17), though what looks like an ithyphallic feature may actually be part of the waist-band as believed by some scholars. *Linga*-like clay objects have also been reported from the Harappa levels of SURKOTADA and from later Chalcolithic [4.14] site like MAHISDAL. However the small conical objects found at LOTHAL have been interpreted as gamesmen (Rao, 1973, p. 113).
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Fig. 50. Sarcophagus types
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Definite evidence for the worship of the phallic symbol can be seen on the Ujjain coins of about the 2nd century B.C.; they bear a realistic representation of a *linga* within a railing placed between two trees. The 1·5 m high stone *linga* from GUDIMALLAM of about the 1st century B.C. has a realistic representation of the phallus and an image of Śiva carved on the front side. *Mukha-linga* having one or more faces of Śiva carved on the phallus are seen at numerous sites from the 2nd century A.D. The early realistic *lingas* gradually gave place to conventionalized *lingas* from about the 4th century.
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One of the earliest archaeological evidences of the use of the procreative organ in association with the dead can perhaps be seen in the inscribed BHITA column or *linga* with five human busts, assigned to the 1st century B.C.; it has a deeply incised phallic emblem on the shaft. The practice of installing *lingas* to commemorate dead teachers was prevalent among the Pāśupata Śaivas, the archaeological evidence of which is seen in an inscribed stone pillar of Mathura of A.D. 381 depicting an ithyphallic Lakulīśa. Commemorative *lingas* were installed at Bhubaneswar from the 7th century.
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It is not yet conclusively shown whether the ring stones of the Indus civilization (Marshall, 1931, p. 61) were used for magico-religious or utilitarian purposes. Sankalia 1974, pp. 241, etc, while referring to the ring stones of NEVASA, NAVDATOLI, LANGHNAJ and other sites, suggests their use as mace-heads or weights for digging sticks. However no utilitarian purpose can be ascribed to smaller holed objects made of faience, shell and carnelian found at Mohenjo-daro and Harappa which according to Marshall, *ibid.*, seem to have fetishistic or cultic significance. In this connection it is significant to note the cultic association of the ring stones of 3rd-2nd century B.C. found at sites between Taxila, PĀTALIPUTRA, etc., which have figures of a mother goddess carved on them [12.3.9; 12.6].
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Cultic significance of the female generative organ is seen in the images of the personified yoni type of the goddess of Lāja-Gaurī, represented as sitting with legs wide apart and raised (*Uttānapāda*), of between the 1st and 8th centuries, at sites in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh [12.6].
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The phalli and ring stones of the Harappa sites are found at a distance from one another. The early *lingas* of Gudimallam, Mathura, etc. are without any *yoni*-shaped pedestal. The representation of *linga* in *yoni-pīṭha*, symbolizing the union of male and female creative principles, is a post-Gupta development, possibly due to Tantric influence.
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Banerjea, J.N., 1956, *Development of Hindu Iconography*, Calcutta; 1968, *Religion in Art & Arch.*, Lucknow, Desai, D., 1975, *Erotic Sculpture of India—a Socio-cultural Study*, New Delhi. Fairservis, W.A., 1971, *Roots of Ancient India*, London. Marshall, J., 1931, *Mohenjo-daro & the Indus Civilization*, 1, London. Rao, S.R., 1973, *Lothal & the Indus Civilization*, Bombay. Rao, T.A. Gopinatha, 1916, *Elements of Hindu Iconography*, 2, 1, Trivandrum. Sankalia, H.D., 1974, *Prehistory & Protohistory of India & Pakistan*, Poona.—D. DESAI