"An Old Time Northern Plains Indian" by Frederic Remington (Harper's Mag., May, 1891)
In order to claim a scalp, the warrior must give the dead man the coup. In the illustration the Indian is in the act of doing this. In older times the coup was a stab with a weapon, but in later times the Indians were provided with coup sticks. Whoever first strikes the victim with the coup can rightfully claim the scalp.
From "The Book of the American Indian" by Hamlin Garland. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1923. 1st ed
"An Old Time Northern Plains Indian" by Frederic Remington (Harper's Mag., May, 1891)
In order to claim a scalp, the warrior must give the dead man the coup. In the illustration the Indian is in the act of doing this. In older times the coup was a stab with a weapon, but in later times the Indians were provided with coup sticks. Whoever first strikes the victim with the coup can rightfully claim the scalp.
From "The Book of the American Indian" by Hamlin Garland. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1923. 1st ed