A ketoh (pronounced "gato") is a bow guard. The Navajo made and used the ketoh (sometimes called a wrist guard) as a form of protection for the wrist used when the men were hunting game. The ketoh kept a bow string from hitting against the wrist when an arrow was shot from the bow. Early bow guards were pieces of leather. The Navajo were the first to use silver bands stamped or decorated with designs and fastened to leather. These early ketohs were simple in design with four elements, either leaves or petals, which may represent the four directions. Ketohs have a center motif, sometimes with a central ornament, and four curvilinear shapes that radiate toward the corners. The floral or leaf designs were created by a silver working technique called repousse, by stamping or by engraving. The inside (hidden) part of the leather strap is frequently covered with designs. Today the ketoh is used as a decorative ornament like a bracelet.

This Ketoh was made by hand. It was not stamped out of a machine. Instead, the silverworker spent long hours pounding the silver until it took on this shape. The ketoh has been slightly curved by hammering the silver piece over a wooden shape. The silversmith made the surface clean and even, but traces of the little surface planes remain. Therefore we can enjoy the way the light hits the surface and we can feel the tiny curves on the surface with our hands. The final step was to rub and polish the surface until it shone with a deep luster. This was often done with special smooth polishing stones, sand or ashes. (Sandpaper was not invented until the 1880's.).