Rare Antique Jhakri/Shaman Horseman Phurba from Nepal

This is a highly collectable antique wooden Jhakri or shaman’s phurba (ritual dagger) from Nepal.

The crown features a praying figure, probably the shaman himself, riding a horse.   Horsemen Phurba are used in Tamang funeral rituals. The riders are shamans who guide the soul of the deceased into the afterlife.   Some fragments of ritual cloth are tied around his waist.  The hilt upon which it stands shows the four faces of a diety and a dorje of vadjra.

Below the dorje there is a large and boldly carved makara (mythical sea creature) with huge eyes and bared teeth. The sides of its face depict the sacre symbols of the sun and the moon, while the back of its head has an endless knot.

The Makara leads to a rare 4-sided blade (normally there are just 3).  The smaller front-facing facet is decorated with a single snake. One of the side facets has a pair of entwined snakes, while the other side has a bhumpa (ritual offering vase) with leaves.  The back facet shows a Trident.

This antique phurba is in excellent museum quality condition and has the patina of long use and antiquity.

A fabulous rare example of a shaman phurba used for transformation, healing and protection.