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Lance Stealing Five Horses

Creator: 

Title: 
Lance Stealing Five Horses
Date: 
1870
Identifier: 
T0374
Description: 
Red Lance Stealing Two Horses (top) ca. 1870 Red Lance Stealing Five Horses (bottom) Attributed to Red Lance, Cheyenne Oklahoma Pencil, ink and crayon on paper These drawings record two separate occasions when Red Lance, Tsitsistas/Suhtai (Cheyenne) warrior, successfully raided horses from enemy encampments. Horses represented stature and wealth, and stealing horses was considered a bold deed that counted as a war honor, or coup. This drawing depicts an occasion when Red Lance triumphantly steals five horses and rides off with them in his custody. These new horses will be added to his stock, enabling him to “lease” them to young men who want to begin their careers as warriors. Red Lance holds a bow lance decorated with two fans of eagle feathers and blue streamers. This type of bow lance communicates his status as an officer of the Tsitsistas/Suhtai (Cheyenne) Fox military society, a fraternal order of the bravest men.
Physical dimensions: 
height 6 in ; width 8.75 in
height 13 in ; width 15 in ; depth .75 in
Format: 
Drawing - Lance Stealing Five Horses
Coverage: 
Oklahoma ; Tsitsistas/Suhtai (Cheyenne)
American Indian Art