Unique Set of 2 Antique Shaman Phurba in Copper

These two rare antique shaman phurba or ritual daggers are the first of their kind I have encountered in over 30 years of collecting.  They were sourced from the Tamang people in a remote region of Nepal close to the Tibetan border, and are believed to be 18th century or earlier.

They are clearly a pair, or part of a larger set, designed and cast by the same shamanic craftsman in copper, and they are incredibly heavy at 845 cm and 576 cm respectively.   The larger one measures 20 x 5.5 cm and the smaller 19 x 4.5 cm.  Apart from the unusual use of copper they share many features common to other phurba. These include a three-faced crowned deity above a dorje hilt with endless knots, followed by a Makara (sea monster) ending in a 3-sided blade with each facet decorated with entwined snakes, sun, moon, and other motifs.

However, what sets these phurba apart are the crowns with mythical copulating creatures…looking part human and part monkey.  They might represent the shaman’s patron, protector or guardian spirit (sometimes forest dwellers portrayed with hairy bodies) or perhaps they are connected in some way to fertility, tantric practices and primal energy.

Both phurba are different but similar, with the larger of the two being slightly more detailed. Having been cast in bronze their condition is excellent.

Unique, intreguing, and highly collectable shamanic power tools!