Southwest USA Native American Amulet

  
In the Lakota tradition, Plains Indian mothers took special care of their newborn baby's Umbilical cord. When the cord fell off, the mother sewed it into a small buckskin bag, often shaped like a lizard or turtle. This bag was attached to the baby's cradle as a first toy, later, it was worn around the child's neck or. It was kept for a lifetime as a charm, to ensure long life because the cord represented a link. Between the child's existence before birth and his life after birth. The piece has natural horsehair with tiny bells that ring slightly and beads.

That Christianity had been introduced into the culture, thereby helping to date the item. Total length, from tip of hair to top approximately 18 inches.

Bag itself approximately 3x6 inches. This piece dates back to approximately late 1800's.