“A Sioux Warrior’s Grave,” Elk Prairie — L. A. Huffman

A burial scaffold stands on open, stony ground, its rough timber uprights supporting crosspoles and an elongated covered bundle. Ties hang beneath the platform, and a long gun leans against the structure. Stones and loose poles lie around the base; no living figures appear in either view.

The right-hand image is captioned “194—A Sioux Warriors Grave.” The left-hand caption reads “(Elk Prairie Buffalo Range, Jan 82),” with the date read as January 1882. These captions supply the subject identification and named locality. The deceased is not named, and neither a more specific tribal community nor the precise geographical site is established by the card.

The buff mount bears the imprint “Published by L. A. Huffman, Miles City, Montana,” opposite the series heading “Northern Pacific Views. Badland and Big Horn Scenery.” The lower margin advertises “Fine Indian Portraits a Specialty. Rates to the Trade.” The imprint explicitly credits Huffman as publisher; Miles City is his stated business location, not necessarily the location of the grave.

The two photographic images are mounted side by side on a rounded-corner card. Both are pale and low in contrast, though the scaffold, gun and foreground details remain legible. The reverse is unprinted apart from small pencil notations that establish no ownership history. The photographic process and the printing date of this particular card remain unconfirmed.