Buddhist Artefacts
Amazing work of artistry and craftsmanship are showcased here, with statues crafted from brass, copper, shell and Himalayan quartz crystal using the traditional 'lost wax' technique. Initially a wax model is created and encased in clay to create a mold. The wax is then melted away - 'lost' - and the hollow that is left is filled with molten metal. Once this hardens the clay mold is broken away so there is now a metal replica of the initial wax model.
Phurbas, Varjas and Kartikas
Phurbas were frequently used in shamanistic, tantric and Vedic rituals across the Himalayan region and wider Buddhist diaspora, and was also regarded as a powerful weapon to subdue evil spirits and negative energies, transforming them into positive forces.
Varjas are a tantric symbol for the absolute, beyond all opposites and the union of the spiritual and material world.
Kartikas are a ritualistic object in Vajrayana Buddhism. They are typically a small,
crescent-shaped knife used in tantric ceremonies to symbolise the cutting away of negative energies.
