THE PAINTING OF HUMAN BONES AMONG THE INDIANS. 609 



or of which I have found inentioii in literature, the coloration was 

 red, and in most instances, due to red ocher. In a few cases, probably 

 more recent burials, the pigment Avas Aermilion. 



The fourth class of stained bones is much more restricted than 

 any of the preceding; it consists mainly of skulls which had been 

 })ainted by hand. In all but two cases known to me on this con- 

 tinent the paint was red, and was applied sometimes over the facial 

 parts of the skull only, at other times over the whole cranium, and 

 in a few instances also over other bones of the skeleton. I shall 

 cite examples of this class from United States. Canada, and other 

 regions. 



The fifth and final variety of l)one staining consists of skulls on 

 which designs have been made in colors. Such specimens thus far 

 found are few and they are probably all, or nearly all, recent. 



A variety of red pigmentation of human Ijones by the products of 

 pigment producing bacteria has been suggested by Krause; I have 

 as yet come across no instance where such agency would appear prol)- 

 able. Blackening of bones is occasionally witnessed in maceration. 



In a number of instances it is difficult, if not inip()ssil)le, to decide 

 whether the given bones have been stained accidental!}' l)y the pig- 

 ment buried with the body, or whether they lune been intentionally 

 painted. It may l)e assumed, however, as a general rule, that where 

 the coloration is symmetric, rather uniform in extent, and restricted 

 to the external surface, not extending into the fossa*, ventral cavity, 

 or even the alvoelar spaces of a skull, we have to deal with inten- 

 tional painting of the specimen. In accidental staining the pigment 

 is often found mixed with the eart|i alx)ut the bones, it covers the 

 bones less regularly, and penetrates more or less into all the larger 

 spaces. It is, of course, also ])ossil)le that the paint applied to the 

 bones by hand after their burial s})reads somewhat l)v natural means 

 to other par^^s, as well as to the soil, but in such instances the second- 

 ary coloration of the bone is lialjle to be restricted besides irregular, 

 and the staining of the soil is very limited. 



It is principally the last three varieties of pigmented l)ones which 

 are, in this country each in a distinctive way." of etlinological- interest, 

 for they represent so many different, though jn'obably related, cus- 

 toms of the American aborigines. 



The geographical distribution of such stained or ]iainted l)ones on 

 this continent ai)pears to be very wide, but so far is (piite irregular. 

 With the iricreas(> of material, some of the existing lacuna' Avill 

 undoubtedly be filled, while in other cases there will be traced, accord- 

 ing to indications, allied customs. On the whole it seems that one or 

 another use of red pigment, particularly ocher, has been (|uit(> general 

 in the funerary rites of the American Indians. 

 fcM 1904 39 



