Ritual dagger used in Buddhist ceremonies to exorcise demons or as a spiritual nail to pin down the distractions of greed, desire & envy. The sides of the Phurba destroy the three poisons: attachment, aversion, & delusion. At the top of the phurba are three faces, the middle is a vajra or lightning bolt with an eternal knot at each end, & the bottom has a water god (Makara) with snakes entwined around the blade. Often the shaman will wind a cloth around the vajra part of the handle so as to avoid touching it with his hand. Made of copper. Heavy weight, 11-13 oz.; 8" high. Not for Sale in Massachusetts. AZCPAR