The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-08
HERALDRY OF INDIANS.
SIGNIFICANCE OF AMKH1UAN
 MANS PAINTED vIsA0E.
Marks on the Face which Denote Per sonal Honors, Ancestry, Tribe ana Conditions-Peculiar Act which
 is Difficult of Interpretation.
Washington Times.

w tOH 4iuiNOs
 People in general have been con tent to look upon the Indians adorn' ment of his head with eagles feathers and his face with paint as marks or personal decoration inspired by vanity and a savage taste, different only Tn degree from what Is sometimes Wilt messed among those highly civuizeo peoples. But the fact Is that, Tn preference to the latter custom TOT in- stance every paint mark on an indlans face has a sort of herald!c meaning, implying not only the honors won py the brave in person, but representing also the claims of his family ana race to distinction. In other words, what is shown among more cultured communi, ties by coats of arms, orders. ana 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 compil- ing a record of the armorial, or, rather facial, bearings of certain celebrated chiefs. and 1t is said to be fascinating work. One renowned warrior. for in- stance, will have his lip painted a cop per red, This is found to indicate that his tribe was once in possession of huge mines of copper. Anotnes individual will have his forehead adorned with a painting of a certain fish, thus implying that he. or nis people, are renowned for pro"ess h catching fish. The same distingusneu person sometimes wears a disc or Peari in addition to his paint mask. inis, by it's shimmering radiance, ana us form implies that he Is descended from the moon in the sense that the god dess of night" Is one of his ancestors.
 The fact that the Indian has no con ception of perspective seriously nandi- caps the success of his enorts al pictoral art. Indeed, the Indian limner merely aims to show the most cnarac- teristic portion of the object he at- temptS to depict, unless he De man of great attainment. in which case ne divides or dissects the subject or ms picture and represents the whole oy it's parts, the latter being arranged en- tirely irrespective of the natural sequence.
 The features of the Indian are some- times incorporated into the representa- ton of the animal which forms his heraldic bearing. Should the, beaver, for example, be the object to DC depicted, 1t Is not attempted to design the whole form of the animal, but only it's distinctive and typical parts. as. TOT instance. its peculiar tail. which h painted in crss-cross Ines extenong from the chin to the nose, as though standing upright. The chin itself does service as the beavers body.
 The arbitrary methods of the Indian artist render 1t very diff1cult, II not impossible, for any but an expert 10 interpret the meanings Of the plctoriai representations. Thss. an animais ears are invariably depicted above the eyes on the human subject, the ears of the beaver being just above the eye brows. On the cheeks are painted th" paws in position as though they were raised to the mouth in the manner con- ventional in Indian earrings.
 The dogfish painted in red on the race dpsignates the members of an entire tribe. On the forehead of the mem bers of this tribe is painted the long thin 6nout, the gills are represented oy two curved lines below the eyes, "hile the tail Is shown as cut in two and hanging from each nostril.' only one or two parts of an animal painted on Indians face indicates that he IS or ln- ferior position-the entire symbol, no matter in what from represented Is sig nificant of lofty station. and high honors.
  may be said to be unique, not alone in the method of representation em- pfuyed, but in the subjects selected. These latter include fish. flesh. and aowl of all descriptions--dog- salmon, devilhsh. starfish. woodpeckers, ravens, eagles. bears. wolves. frogs even mosquitoes are comprised In the annorial gallery.
 Every object represented has its own particular significance, and one of the most peculiar phases of face-painting relates to the employment or forms other than animal-tools. implements of the chase or of war. denoting the ocupation of the individual or his tribe.
 one tribe in the Far West Indicates its location by its members panting red across the upper part of the fore head and hair to indicate the sky at sunset. Another indicates its proximi- ty to the ocean by painting small semi circles of red about the outer edges or the face to denote cirrus clouds on the horizon of the sea.