A Plains man treasured his shield, which protected him both physically and spiritually in battle. When a warrior dreamed of an image such as this one, a man inside the sun, he painted it on the cover of his shield.

Shield: buffalo (Bison bison) rawhide; Cover: tanned deer (Odocoileus sp.) hide, paint, clay, sinew H 3.0 x D 53.0 cm; 2418-116a