This is a small wooden paddle used with a Mystic puppet in The Dark Crystal. The urRu, or Mystic, race are slow-moving, peaceful creatures. They are the counterparts to the Skeksis. The Mystics are philosophers who hold the mystical wisdom of their world. The paddle has symbols written on both sides, and part of the handle is wrapped in leather. The paddle would have been held in the puppet’s hand with a leather strap attached to the hand. The Dark Crystal was a fantasy film directed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz and released in 1982. The film was made entirely with the use of puppets and features no human actors. In the film, two members of the Gelfling race, Jen and Kira, go on a journey to return a lost shard of the dark crystal in order to defeat the evil Skeksis and restore balance to the planet Thra before it is too late.