Sword Guard (Tsuba)

The object depicted here is a Japanese sword guard or tsuba. The tsuba has a circular shape with a brownish-gold color and a textured surface. There are two oval-shaped holes, one on the left and one on the right, and a larger teardrop-shaped hole in the center. The tsuba features an embossed wave design on the top and bottom. On the bottom right, there are two birds flying over waves; one appears to be diving down towards the waves while the other flies alongside it. The wave design on the right side of the tsuba curls upwards, almost encircling the flying birds. The background of the image is plain gray. Sword Guard (Tsuba).