The Savannah morning news., 1901-09-22
HERALDRY OF THE INDIANS.
Marks on the Face Not the Result of
ILifi8tie Savage Vanity.

sFttis({i,s saNaSe 'ahitS'
From the Washington Times.
People in general have been content
to look upon the Indians adornment
of his head with eagle feathers and
his face With paint as marks of per-
sonal decoration inspired by vanity
and a savage taste, different only in
degree from what is sometimes wit
messed among highly civilized peoples.
But the fact is that, in preference to
the latter custom, for instance, every
paint mark on an Indians face has a
sort of heraldic meaning, implying not
only the honors won by the brave in
person, but representing also the
claims of his family and race to dis
tinction. In other words, what is shown
among more cultured communities by
coats of arms orders and decorations
is depicted by the Indian on his face
by means of pigments.
Scientists are now engaged, among
other novel Investigations concerning
the North American Indians. in COM
pilfng a record Of the armorial, or rath-
er facial, bearings of certain celebrat-
/, ed chiefs, and it is said to be fascinat
ing work. One renowned warrior, for
instance, will have his lip painted a
copper red, This is found to indicate
Z that his tribe was once in possession
( of huge mines of copper. Another in
dividual will have his forehead adorn-
ed with painting of a certain fish,
thus implying that he or his people
are renowned for prowess in catching
fish. The same distinguished person
some times wears a disk of pearl in adj
I dition TO his paint mask. This, by it's
shimmering radiance and its form, i'm
plies that he is descended from the
moon, in the sense that the goddess of
night is one of his ancestors.
The fact that the Indian has no con-
ception of perspective seriously handi-
caps the success of his efforts at pic
torial art. Indeed, the Indian Inner
merely aims to show the most charac-
teristic portion of the object he at
tempts to depict, unless he be a man
of great attainments, in which case
he divides or dissects the subject of
his picture and represents the whole
by its parts, the latter being arranged
entirely irrespective of the natural Sc
quence. .H fi8A
The features of the Indian are some
times incorporated into the representa-
ton of the animal which forms his he
raldic bearing. Should the beaver, for
DS the ODJeCL 10 De depicted, II
is not attempted to design the whole
form of the animal, but only its dis
tinctive and typical parts, as, for in
stance. its peculiar tail. which is paint
ed in criss-cross lines extending from
the chin to the nose, as though stand
| ing upright. The chin itself does SER
| vice as the beavers body.
The arbitrary methods of the Indian
artist render it difficult, if not impos-
sible, for any but an expert to inter-
pref the meanings of the pictorial rep
reservations. Thus, an animals ears
are invariably depicted above the eyes
on the human subject, the ears of the
beaver being just above the eyebrows
On the cheeks are painted the paws
in position as though they were rails
ed TO the mouth in the manner conven-
tional in Indian carvings.
The dogfish painted in red upon the
| face desighates the members of an en-
| tire tribe. On the foreheads of the
members of this tribe is painted the
long, thin snout; the gills are repre-
scented by two curved lines below the
eyes, while the tail is shown as cut
in two and hanging from each nostril
| Only one or, twoaparts indicate that
he is of an. inferior position; the en-
| tire symbol no matter in what form
presented, Is significant of lofty sta
| ton and high honers.
The facial heraldry of the Indian may
be said to be, unique not alone in the
method of representation employed, but
| in the subjects selected. These latter
| include fish, flesh and fowl of all de-
scriptions-deg, salmon, devilfish, star
fish, woodpeckers, ravens, eagles
bears, wolves and frogs are comprised
in the armorial gallery.
Every object represented has its owr
particular significance, and one of the
most peculiar phases of face painting
relates 10 the employment of forms
other than. animal--tools. implements
of the chase or of war, denoting the
occupation of the individual or his
tribe.