A monolithic sandstone Shivling has been discovered in Vietnam’s Cham Temple Complex which is part of the My Son sanctuary in the Quang Nam province. The Shivling dates back to the 9th century and its excavation is a result of conservation efforts by the Archaeological Survey of India.
The fully intact Shivling is part of a complex of Hindu temples which were constructed by the mighty Champa Empire between 4th century AD and 13th century AD in Vietnam.
During the 4th to 13th centuries there was a unique culture on the coast of contemporary Vietnam, owing its spiritual origins to the Hinduism.
The Hindu temples were constructed over ten centuries of continuous development in what was the heart of the ancestral homeland of the ruling Dua Clan which unified the Cham clans and established the kingdom of Champapura (Sanskrit for City of the Cham people) in 192 AD During the 4th to 13th centuries CE this unique culture, on the coast of contemporary Vietnam, owed its spiritual origins to the Hinduism. Under this influence many temples were built to the Hindu Gods Krishna and Vishnu, but above all Shiva.
The Hindu temples at My Son have a variety of architectural
designs symbolizing the greatness and purity of Mount Meru, the sacred mountain
home of Hindu gods at the center of the universe.