Hindu god Shiva statue recognized as a national treasure

Mukhalinga, a statue of the Hindu god Shiva that was unearthed at the My Son Sanctuary site in 2012, is officially recognized as a national treasure.
Mukhalinga is a linga with one or more human faces in Hindu mythology. The linga is an iconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva and is sometimes interpreted as a phallic symbol.
The yellow brown stone statue is 146.5cm tall and 41.5cm wide. It has three parts shaped like a circle, an octagon and a square. The top part is a sculpture of the head of Shiva.
According to Ho Van Tinh, Deputy Director of the city's Culture Department, the statue was discovered near the E4 tower of the My Son Sanctuary after a heavy downpour on October 20.
Thirty artifacts have been recognized as national treasures so far, including the My Son E1 altar (Champa culture 192 – 1832) and Tra Kieu altar (Champa culture 192 – 1832), both found in Quang Nam province.