Bronze yoni ritual cup, India, 19th centuryHollow copper cup in the form of a drop with a small projection at the bottom. Length: 32 cm (Traces of oxidation and shocks) . A Shiva-faced lingam cover is attached, Height: 16 cm, oxidation, soiling, collection label . The yoni (vulva), symbol of the Hindu goddess Shakti, is used to contain holy water to be poured on its male counterpart, the lingam (phallus) of the god Shiva, during a puja or prayer ceremony. This union represents the eternal process of creation and regeneration.