Ho Van Tinh, deputy director of the city's culture department, told Viet Nam News yesterday that the statue was discovered near the E4 tower of the My Son Sanctuary after a heavy downpour.

The yellow brown stone statue, which dates back to between the 7th and 8th centuries, 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.

In Hindu mythology, Mukhalinga or Mukhalingam (literally "linga with a face") is a linga with one or more human faces. The linga is an iconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva and is sometimes interpreted as a phallic symbol.

Thirty artifacts have been recognised 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.

Champa kings ruled the central region between the 4th and 13th centuries.

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