Unusual Plains Wood and Metal Pipe Tomahawk, probably Cheyenne

of expanding oval section, pierced and strung with a quill-wrapped hide thong trimmed with brass hawk bells, surmounted by a steel head wrought from a re-purposed gun barrel, finely incised on one side with an equestrian figure holding a feathered lance, the other, with a buffalo and a kneeling figure holding a shield decorated with a morning star. 

Blades with pictographic images are exceedingly rare. This is one of four that are known to exist, all of which were collected amongst the Cheyenne.