Sword Guard (Tsuba)

Round, dark brown metal object with a distinctive shape. Two oval-shaped holes on either side of a central elongated oval hole. The surface features gold and black designs, including people, plants, and animals. The gold designs are intricate and appear to be inlaid or etched into the metal. The people depicted are wearing traditional Japanese clothing. Some are holding objects such as a flag or a sword. The plants include trees, flowers, and leaves. The animals appear to be mythical creatures. The background of the image is a plain light gray color. The overall design and style suggests a traditional Japanese sword guard, The artist, known for this type of work, is not visually identifiable in the image. The title of this piece is Sword Guard or Tsuba.