Featured in this lot is this Alpaca silver bear head brooch from Lakota artist Armand American Horse (1982-). This brooch shows a finely crafted and tooled bear head brooch. The Armand American Horse hallmark is shown on the backside of the brooch. Bears figure prominently in the mythology of nearly every Native American tribe. In most Native cultures, Bear is considered a medicine being with impressive magical powers and plays a major role in many religious ceremonies. Bears are symbols of strength and wisdom to many Native Americans and are often associated with healing and medicine. (Since bears continue fighting after being seriously injured, Native Americans often believed they were capable of healing their wounds.) The condition of this brooch is good, with no obvious signs of damage. The measurements of this brooch are 2 1/4" x 2" x 1/8".