Ammonite

Spiral-shaped fossil shell of a prehistoric sea creature. The black stones in
which these fossil shells are embedded
are known as shalagrams and are
found in great numbers in the Kali
Gandaki River in Nepal. The name
ammonite comes from the Latin
33
Ammonite
expression meaning “horn of Ammon,”
which refers to a form of the god
Jupiter that bears rams’ horns. In India
the ammonite’s circular form is understood as a symbol of Vishnu’s discus
(chakra), and thus the shalagram is
considered a svayambhu “self-manifested” image of Vishnu himself. As
with all svayambhu forms of a deity,
the shalagram is considered to be
extraordinarily holy and is usually kept
as an object of worship.