Japanese sword-guards (tsuba) 1800-1900, Edo or Meiji era. These guards were fixed on swords belonging to Japanese men of the samurai class. They protected the wearer's hand but also acted as a symbol of his status and beliefs. A Japanese myth said that the Emperor's sword, one of his three sacred possessions, came from the tail of a dragon.

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Japanese sword-guards (tsuba) 1800-1900, Edo or Meiji era. These guards were fixed on swords belonging to Japanese men of the samurai class. They protected the wearer's hand but also acted as a symbol of his status and beliefs. A Japanese myth said that the Emperor's sword, one of his three sacred possessions, came from the tail of a dragon.

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Photo credit: © World History Archive / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 1800-1900, archival, archive, edo, historical, history, japanese, meiji, samurai, soldier, sword-guards, tsuba, weapon