The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1901-09-11
aERALDRY OF THE INDIANS
Marks on the Face to Denote Honors,
Ancestry, Tribe and Condition.

MARKS on the Fnce to Denote HOnors,
Ancestry, Tribe and Condition.
People in general have been content
TO look upon the Indians adornment of
his head with eagle feathers and his
face with paint us marks of personal
decoration inspired by vanity and a
savage taste, different only In degree
from what is sometimes witnessed
among highly civilized peoples. But
the fact Is that in preference to the lat
ter custom, for Instance, every paint
mark on an Indians face has sort of
heraldic meaning, implying not only
the honors Non by the brave In person,
hut representing also the claims of his
family and race to distinction. In other
words, what is shown among more Gull
tured communities by coats of arms,
orders and decorations Is depleted by
the Indian on his face by means of pig
ments.
Scientists are now engaged, among
other novel Investigations concerning
the North American Indian, In eompil-
Ing record of the armorlal, or, rather.
facial, bearings of certain celebrated
chiefs, and IL Is said to be fascinating
work. One renowned warrior, for In
stance, Will have his lip painted cop
per red. This IL found to Indicate that
his tribe was once in possession of
huge mines of copper Another indi-
vldunl Will have his forehead adorned
with a painting Of n certain fish. thus
implying that he or his people are re-
nowned for prowess In catching fish.
The same distinguished person some
times wears n disk of pearl In addition
to his paint mask. This, by its shim-
mering radiance and Its fern, implies
that lie 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 Mt pie
torlal art. Indeed the Indian Inner
merely aims to show tho most charae-
terlstlc portion of the object he at
tempts to depict unless he be n man
of great attainment In which case he
divides or dlssects the subject of his
| picture and represents the whole by Its
| parts, the latter being arranged en-
tirely irrespective of the natural Sc
| quence.
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 be de-
plctcd, It Is not attempted to design
the whole form of the animal, but only
Its distinctive and typical parts, as. for
instance, Its peculiar tail, which Is
painted In erlsscross lines extending
from the chin TO the nose, rs though
standing upright. The chin itself does
service MS the beavers body.
The arbitrary methods of the Indian
artist render 1t difficult, If not impos-
sible, for any but an expert to inter
pref the meanings OF the pictorial
representations. Thus an animals
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 the
paws In n position ms though they
/ "vre raIsvu INC uICdgrI rs tirc ruaII-
ner conventional In Indian carvings.
The dogish painted In red on the
face designates the members of an en-
tire tribe. On the fSreheads of the
members of this tribe Is painted the
| long, thin snout. The gllls are repre-
sented by two curved lines below the
eyes, while the tail Is shown as cut in
two and hanging from each nostrll.
Only one or two parts of an animal
painted on an Indians face Indicate
that he * of Inferior position The en-
tire symbol. no matter In what form
presented. IL significant of lofty sta
tlon and high henors.
The facial heraldry of the Indian
may be said TO be unique not nlsne In
the method OF representation employ
ed. but In the subjects selected These
latter include fish, flesh and fowl OF all
description. Dog salmon, devltish, star
fish, woodpeckefs. ravens, eagles, bears,
wolves, are comprised In the armorial
gallery.
Every object represented has Its own
particular Significance, and one Of the
most peculiar phases of face painting
relates TO the employment of forms
other than animals-tools, implements
of the chaso or Of war, denoting the
occupation or the individual or his
Washington Times.