AN EARLY RITUAL DAGGER 'PHUR-BA' Tibet, ca. 11th ct. L. 29,4 cm Made entirely of iron. The Tibetans like to use the term "sky iron" for meteorite iron. To bring out the magical efficacy of a ritual object, small inlaid amounts of the material in question are often sufficient. In one of the depressions of the knot there is still a small remnant of the original gold inlays.The handle of this ritual object, which comes from early Buddhism, the "Second Spread" after Lang Darma, (9th century) shows a fivefold vajra in the style of that time. The vajra is held by two stylised infinite knots. Towards the top, a small base is visible, which with its eight phases may refer to the number "eight" of the eightfold path of the Buddha teaching, which forms the basis for the three heads of the Phur-ba deities. The faces of the deities are different in expression, showing their peaceful, enraged and wrathful moods. The hairstyle is tied into a crown. Above the hairstyle is a flattened bulge, at the edge of which eight (worn) faces are visible. The head of the sea monster protrudes from the lower knot, with the three-edged dagger in its mouth. From the estate of the collection of Thomas Marcotty (1930-2005), published in Marcotty: 'Phurpa - Magisches Dolchritual aus Tibet', Fabri Verlag, Ulm, 1997, pp. 4, 39, 74 and published 'Dolchsegen, Schatz-Texte des tibetische Phur-ba Kultes: with an essay by Thomas Marcotti, photocopied manuscript; Lugano, 1986: Cover illustration and p. 42 Wear, very small break