AN INSCRIBED NATIVE-AMERICAN BATTLE IMAGE FROM THE LITTLE-BIGHORN BATTLEFIELD

A brass artifact found in the Hunkpapa campsite that was attacked by L t. Col. George Armstrong Custer on June 25, 1876 is engraved with imag es of soldiers and American Indians. The battle image was scratch engr aved on this unique medium in a pre-Reservation Biographic style remin iscent of rock art and robe art of the same era. If may depict a scene from the Battle of the Little Bighorn or the Rosebud Battle of June 1 7, 1876. In any case, the artifact is unique. This article describes t he artifact and presents preliminary interpretations.