Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Tsuba with a Long-lived Tortoise (Minogame) with a Tail of Seaweed
(Japanese Military Armor)
The turtle on this tsuba is a divine tortoise that can live one thousand years. The "tail" is actually made of water plants that have grown in the tortoise's shell because it has lived so long. This turtle is a symbol of longevity. The right hand side of the tsuba is primarily the turtle's shell. The "tail" sweeps around the left edge to meet to turtle's head at the lower right. A space left between the tail and the central opening created the opening for the utility knife.
Inscription
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
Henry Walters, Baltimore [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
Geographies
Japan, Tokyo (Edo) (Place of Origin)
Measurements
3 1/16 in. (7.8 cm)
Credit Line
Acquired by Henry Walters
Location in Museum
Not on view
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
51.384