a cowboy kerchief or bandana .. cowboys used the bandana as a dust mask when they had to ride drag (at the rear of the herd) while driving cattle .. it was also used as earmuffs in cold weather, as protection from sunburn on the neck, as a pot holder for hot pots or branding irons, as prevention against snow blindness in winter, a tourniquet or sling in case of injury .. and if he turned outlaw, it was used as a mask to hide the face when robbing a stagecoach, bank, or anyone who was easy prey .. red was the most common color .. it could be made of silk, cotton or linen, and was generally folded into a triangle and tied around the neck, with the knot in the back .. pics taken in the room called, "!T! ARIZONA" made by ChicByTrinity..