Sword Guard (Tsuba)

Cleveland Museum of Art

The image depicts a sword guard, or tsuba, made of dark brown metal, likely iron or steel, with a circular shape and a rough texture. The tsuba has three central holes: one long, thin, vertically oriented oval and two smaller, horizontally oriented ovals on either side. The surface features numerous small, round gold-colored dots arranged in clusters, resembling flowers or berries, and four gold-colored lines that resemble leaves or stems. The background of the image is dark gray to black, transitioning from light to dark towards the center. The overall design and craftsmanship suggest a traditional Japanese sword guard, titled "Sword Guard (Tsuba)".