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| Northern Plains War Shield 19 inch diameter Deer Skin, red & blue trade cloth, glass trade beads, and painted feathers. When a warrior put the bear on his shield, he believed he received the bears attributes in battle. The imitation eagle feathers represent coups or honors won in battle. |  |
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| Northern Plains War Shield 19 inch diameter Deer Skin, trade cloth, glass beads, and turkey feathers. Tasunka Witka (Crazy Horse) personified bravery, wisdom, and spirit. He was one of the greatest of all Sioux chiefs. The blue & white circles depict hail and the yellow slash down the center is lightning. The blue trade cloth represents the blue leggings worn by Crazy Horse which were made from the pony soldiers' uniforms. The feathers on the trade cloth represent honors, won through bravery on the battlefield. |  |
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| Northern Plains War Shield 19 inch diameter Deer Skin, trade cloth, glass beads, and turkey feathers. In traditional Lakota culture, black came from the west and meant danger and death. The design represents war medicine and its carrier was the fiercest of warriors. He put death on his shield and was feared by all, no one crossed his path. By putting the black design on a shield, the owner was holding back death, it gave him invulnerability. The white in this design represents life after death. The two colors together say that the owner will not go from this life to the next until the proper time. |  |
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| Northern Plains War Shield 19 inch diameter Deer Skin, trade cloth, glass trade beads, and painted feathers. The owner of this shield was identified as having elk medicine. The elk painted on the shield is radiating love medicine. In non-Indian culture, its like shooting Cupid's arrow at someone. The Black Hills are pictured in the background. |  |
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| Northern Plains War Shield 19" Diameter. Cheyenne. Deer skin, glass trade beads, brass cones, feathers, and horse hair. This is a typical war shield carried by Cheyenne warriers. |  |
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