Title
Phurbu (Ritual dagger)
Year/Period
15th/16th century
Region
Tibet
Object Type
daggers (weapons), ceremonial weapons
Material
wood with polychrome
Dimension
Object size: 30.7 x 7.8 x 6.6 cm
Accession No.
2017-00914
Collection of
NLB Type
Cultural artefact
The dagger has a three-sided blade, with intertwined snakes, and a mythical sea creature (makara) head at the joint of hilt and blade. The hilt is in the form of a thunderbolt (vajra) with the knot of immutability at either end. The top has three wrathful heads.Phurbu are used symbolically for destroying demons and enemies of the faith. The Indian teacher Padmasambhava who is credited with introducing Tantric Buddhism to Tibet, used a phurbu extensively in rituals, and made the object popular in Tibet.
