Sword Guard (Tsuba)

Cleveland Museum of Art

The object is a circular, dark gray metal piece with a textured surface. It has a large, rounded shape resembling a figure-eight or an hourglass with rounded edges. The top and bottom of the object curve outward, forming a semi-circle. There are three distinct holes: one on the left that is shaped like a cloverleaf, a long, thin hole in the middle, and a circular hole on the right. The background is black, gradually lightening to dark gray at the bottom. The object appears to be a sword guard, known as a tsuba, created by an artist.