5" Superb Antique Native American Indian Plains Beaded Umbilical Cord Fetish Amulet In The Form Of A Lizard, Umbilical amulets were common among the Lakota and other Plains tribes. Made to hold a baby's umbilical cord, they served as symbols of protection, health, and strength. They were shaped like turtles for girls and lizards for boys.Plains Indian mothers took special care of their newborn baby's umbilical card. When the cord fell off, the mother sewed it into a small buckskin bag.This bag was attached to the baby’s cradle as its first toy, later, it was worn around the child’s neck or tied to his clothing. It was kept for a lifetime as a charm to ensure long life, because the cord represented a link between the child’s existence before birth and his life after birth.