A man's standing within his tribe was identified with his success as a warrior, which was displayed in turn through his horse's artistic presentation. Owning many horses brought prestige and provided important opportunities for giving. The horse, sunka waken, was considered a gift from the Wakan Tanka and embodied the Lakota's concept of generosity.
This versatile sterling silver and jeweler's gold buckle features a hand-tooled horse effigy design accented with an abalone shell cabochon. The buckle measures 3 inches wide x 2 inches in height.