Vintage small red copper Garuda figurine

Garuda is a deity and mythological creature known in Hinduism and Buddhism. His origin can be traced back to India, but from there his influence and importance has spread to China, Japan, South-East Asia, Tibet, Indonesia and Thailand. Naturally, over the different regions and traditions, the stories and highlighted aspects and dynamics of Garuda may vary a little, but they have also a lot in common.

Garuda is depicted as a creature half man - half eagle. As an eagle, he is king of all the birds. In Tibet he is called Khyung and associated with the 'bon khading', a golden horned eagle. He is said to have such enormous wings, that they are able to block the sunlight and their flapping makes the earth shake. 

It is said that his body is surrounded by such a dazzling glow, that he was mistaken for (and thus worshipped as) the firegod Agni by the gods. Garuda is often depicted as the mount of the god Vishnu, but he is also an important god in itself. 

In a lot of the traditional stories, Garuda is the arch-enemy of the naga's; snake- or dragon-like creatures with a very dual and often very dangerous nature. The 'bump' on top of his head, between his horns, conceals a jewel stolen from the serpent-king, which he obtained in Mount Meru. This jewel is believed to grant its possessor the power of having control over all snakes.

Also as a symbol of his dominance over the serpents, Garuda is often depicted with an adornment of the 'Eight Great Snakes' as ornaments on his body; one in his his hair, one as a belt or necklace, two as earrings, two as bracelets and two as anklets. 

Some of his nicknames also refer to this dynamic of Garuda; 'nagantaka' (naga-killer), 'pannaganasana' (dragon-slayer), 'sarparati' (enemy of snakes).

It is this characteristic as devourer of the snakes, that made Garuda also find his way into some classical shamanic lineages, where he can be of assistance for (mostly black) shamans when doing heavy extraction work in healing rituals. 

This small figurine shows Garuda in a little less common depiction; his wings are the only eagle-part, while his face and body are completely human. 

The figurine is made of red copper and from vintage origin, showing some signs of its age and previous usage. It is approximately 5,5 centimeters high and the size of the pedestal at the bottom measures 4,7 x 3 centimeters. Weight is 78 grams. 

As can be seen on the pictures, there's a thin brass plate on the bottom of the figurine. Such (buddhist) statues are often filled up with a mix of special sacred ingredients, such as chippings of precious stones and metals, herbs and grains, pieces of fabric or paper with symbols or mantra's on it and sometimes even relics from sacred places. These fillings are an offering to the spirit of the statue and adding them enlivens and blesses it for its purpose. The brass plate on the bottom of this figurine then serves as a cover plate or seal to keep the fillings inside.