The times., 1901-06-02
HERALDRY OF THE INDIANS
Significance of the American Red
Mans Painted Visage.
Marks on the Face Which Denote
Personal HonOrs, Ancestry. Tribe,
and Condition A Peculiar Art
which Is Difficult of Interpretation

People in general have been content to
look upon the Indians adornment OF his
head with eagles feathers and his face
with paint as marks OF personal decora-
tion inspired by vanity and a savage
taste, different only in degree from what
is sometimes witnessed among those high
Iy civilized peoples But the fact is that,
in preference to the latter custom for in
stance every paint mark on an Indians
face has sort of heraIdic meaning, i'm
plying not only the honors won By the
brave in person, but representing also the
claims of his family and race to distinct
, ion 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 Indian, in compiling a record
of the armOrial. or, rather facial, bear
inSs of certain celebrated chiefs and it
is said to be fascinating work One re-
nowned warrior. for instance, will have
his lip painted copper red. This is found
| To indicate that his tribe was once in
possession of huge mines of copper An
| other individual viii have his forehead
adorned with painting OF certain fish,
I thus implying that he, or his people, are
| renowned for prOwess in catching fish.
\ The same distinguished person sometimes
wears a disc OF pearl in addition to his
paint mask This, by its shimmering ra-
| dance, and its form implies 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 pictorial
art Indeed. the Indian Iimner merely
aims to show the most characteristics
portion OF the object he attempts to
depict. unless he be a man Of great ar
tainment, in which case he divides or
dissects the subject of his picture and
represents the whole by it's parts, the
latter being arranged entirely irrespective
of the natural sequence.
The features of the Indian are some
times incorporated into the representa-
tion of the animal which forms his
heraIdic bearing. Should the beaver. for
example, be the object to be depicted. it
is not attempted to design the whole
form of the animal. but only its distinct
i've and typical parts, as, for instance.
it's peculiar tail, which is painted in
crisS-crosS lines extending from the cnln
The chin itself does service as the
The arbitrary methods of the Indian ar
tist render 1t very difficult, II not lmpoS-
sibIe for any but an expert to interpret
the meanings of the pictorial representa-
tions Thus an animais ears are lnNa-
riably depicted abG"e the eyes on the hu-
man subject, the ears of the beaver being
lust above the eyebrows. On the cheeks
are painted the paws in position as
though they were raised to the mouth IN
Indian
ings.
designates the members OF an entire trlDe-
On the foreheadS OF the members OF TINS
tribe is painted the long thin snout, the
gills are represented by two curved lines
below the eyes. while the tail is shown as =
cut in two and hanging from each nos
triI Only one or two parts of an animal
painted on an Indians face indicates mat
he is of inferior position-the entire sy m
boI, no matter in what form Represented,
is significant of lofty station, ana hish
honors. - -,
said TO be unique, not alone IN INT ule'tiS1 i ~
Of representation employed, Dut IN ,i w
subjects selected. These latter Incluus
fish, flesh, and fowl OF an IescI cIlpSloilS S..lSI
dog-saimon, devilfish. starhsn, woodpecA-
ers. ravens. eagles. pears. wolves, tross-
even mosquitoes are comprlSeu III TIC al
uorial gallery. - g.. ,,
particular significance. ana one OF the
most DecuIiar phases of face-paintlng re
Iates TO the employment OF forms ether
than anima-tOois. implements 81 tne
cbase or of war denOting the occupation
Of the individual or his tribe
One tribe in the Far West indicates ITS
location by its members painting red
across the upper part of the forehead and
hair TO indicate the sky at sunset. An
other indicates its proximity TO the ocean
by painting small sefnl-clrcles OF RED
abolIt the outer edges of the face TO de-
note cirrus clouds g the horizon OF the
sea.
Si.25 to baltimore and Return via
B. n o.