Edition of 250, plus 50 AP (artist proofs), 15 PP (printers proofs), 15 HC (Hors Commerce), and 10 numbered in Roman numerals. From the portfolio of ten screenprints titled Cowboys and Indians.

In Plains Indian Shield (F. & S. II.382), Warhol employs a subdued pop colour scheme of orange, teal, and mustard, complemented by black and white outlines that lend the print a three-dimensional effect. The shield's design features two buffalo facing each other with their heads meeting at the centre, accentuated by a bright orange feather. Warhol’s interpretation of a traditional Native American shield is both stylized and simplified. Historically, such shields were made by Great Plains tribes from buffalo hides stretched over wooden hoops and decorated with geometric patterns, animals, and feathers for both practical and spiritual purposes. Warhol visited the National Museum of the American Indian in New York City to photograph Native American artefacts for his Cowboys and Indians series, including Plains Indian Shield, Northwest Coast Mask, and Kachina Dolls.

By depicting a Native American cultural artefact through the lens of commercialised pop art, Warhol juxtaposes the authentic with the fictional. His work highlights how Native American culture is often portrayed in mainstream media, contrasting real artefacts with their mythologized representations. In Plains Indian Shield, Warhol condenses a rich cultural symbol into a singular, symbolic image set against a stark white background. This print serves as a satirical commentary on the simplified and glamorised portrayal of the American West as seen in Western films, offering a critical reflection on the popular culture's take on historical and cultural realities.