Purification Wand

Purification Wand

A: Piece of wood 8" long 5/8" wide 3/8" thick at one end of which a thin piece of brass 1 3/8" wide 1 1/8" deep is inserted cross ways in a slot. Inserted in the same slot below this are two parallel brass strips cut and folded in a zigzag or lightening pattern. These strips extend outward from both sides of the wooden handle and are spread slightly to the front and rear. B: Base or holder for the wand is made from a small molded glass bottle the foot of which has been given a gold matte finish. The body has a pattern of simulated beads around its middle with 6 similar patterns crossing it at right angles from its neck to the foot. The outer surface of the main body has been somewhat crudely colored red. Inside the bottle are a number of small pieces of white paper folded and crumpled to hold the want (part a) upright when it is inserted into the neck of the bottle. Embossed on the foot of the bottle is "AVOR. 1 3/8 ozs. U.S.A." Usually the metal zigzag strips would have been made from white paper or cloth but since the name of this shrine means Golden Ray perhaps they were made of brass to simulate gold. Wands of this type are normally used in Shinto rites by the priest in a purification act the wand being waved over the people or objects being purified.

1993.073.012