WOMEN OF ALL NATIONS 



53 



Painting the body as 

 a form of ornament is 

 another primitive aid to 

 beauty, and is correspond- 

 ingly widespread, espe- 

 cially in savage America. 

 Frequently in Africa and 

 Australia it is a sign of 

 mourning. The common- 

 est colors are red, yellow, 

 white, and black, obtained 

 from various kinds of 

 ochre, powdered wood, 

 lime, and charcoal. The 

 familiar rice powder is 

 found in Java ; in Tibet 

 many devotees of fashion 

 adorn their cheeks with a 

 fascinating mosaic of 

 starch and seeds, while 

 the Chinese use the starch 

 only. Further "aids to 

 beauty" are the lac, ap- 

 plied to the teeth of the 

 women of the southeast 

 of the Asiatic continent, 

 and the henna, employed 

 by Oriental ladies to color 

 their nails and hair. 



A more permanent form 

 of coloration is found in 

 the tattooing practiced by 

 many of the fairer races, 

 among whom may be 

 mentioned the Maori, 

 whose women ornament 

 the chin in this fashion; 

 the Ainu, by whom a 

 coquettish little mustache 

 tattooed on the upper lip 

 is considered essential for 

 women of fashion ; the 

 Algerians, and the Chuk- 

 chi of northeast Siberia. 

 Among the duskier peoples — in 

 case this form of ornament 



a marwari iyady, wipe of a rich bunnia 

 (money-lender) (see page 6i) 



She is loaded with jewelry, 

 contain amulets and charms 

 ''Women of All Nations," 

 Narayan. 



The gold cylinders on her necklace 

 to keep away disease. Photo from 

 Cassell & Co., New York, by S. 



whose 

 would not 

 be very apparent — incisions are made in 

 the skin, the healing of which is retarded 

 so that prominent scars result, which 

 form intricate patterns on the parts of 

 the body so ornamented. This custom is 

 widespread in Africa, especially among 

 the Congo tribes. 



When we come to speak of the multi- 



tudinous objects worn on and around 

 the body and limbs, their variety at first 

 seems to baffle all description ; but a short 

 consideration elicits the fact that there 

 are very few which have not their coun- 

 terpart in the highest European circles. 

 There is not, after all, a very great differ- 

 ence between a necklace of diamonds and 

 one of teeth, each in its appropriate 

 surroundings. The live birds carried in 



