The bear is a symbolically powerful animal. This necklace may have been worn by somebody as a display of power or prowess if the individual had killed the bear. It may inherently represent power instead of being a symbol of power. The claws on this necklace may be black bear claws. Black bears were commonly hunted and consumed, and their hides were worn as a symbol of war. Sometimes, the power of a bear was acquired through a vision. The bear skins were sometimes worn for formal or ritual attire.
Tags: claw, necklace
People: Plains
Places: Plains, Oklahoma
Purpose: domestic use, ceremonial use, formal attire

From interviews with Dr. Garrick Bailey, 2018-2020 University of Tulsa, Professor Emeritus of Anthropology