The Japanese created this piece for the western market rather than for their home market as it is in the form of the cross, a Christian symbol. The decoration is very much in the Japanese style with birds, insects, flowers and plants in minute detail, executed in a variety of metals. Near the top of the cross a bird can be seen catching a dragonfly.Shakudo and shibuichi, are alloys which the Japanese metalworkers used with great skill. Shakudo is an alloy of bronze and gold appearing as black, and shibuichi an alloy of bronze and silver appearing as grey. These two alloys introduce a range of colours in metal, not seen in the West.