Face paint minerals were found in nature.
Alabama Indians, like other Native Americans, used face paint for religious, hunting and camouflaging. There were several different natural things that they used to make various colors of dyes and pigments. Minerals and other organic matter were gathered and crushed with a mortar and pestle or a couple of flat grinding stones. These substances would then be mixed with a binding agent, often spit, blood, egg yolks, animal fat, or oil, and used to paint faces, caves and animal skins.
Red Ochre
Red ochre is a clay composing of yellow ochre (limonite) that is heated to turn reddish. It was predominately used for painting because of its availability. Sometimes Indians would rub it all over their bodies to protect against insects, which may be why Native Americans were often called "red skinned". The Alabama Indians, like many other Native Americans, considered the color red a representative of blood and blood's significance to life.
Yellow Ochre
Yellow ochre, limonite, was powdered to make a yellow dust. The color yellow in face paint indicates that the person wearing it has led a good life and is willing to fight to the end. Yellow ochre was readily found in the areas that Alabama Indians lived.
Carbon Black
Carbon black, charcoal, was often used because it could be found almost anywhere. Alabama Indians painted with the color black to indicate that there was victory in battle.
Malachite
Malachite is a stone that was crushed to create a green pigment. The Alabama Indians, like some other Native American tribes, would paint around the eyes with this because they believed that they could then be able to see better at night.
Gypsum
Gypsum is a soft mineral and appears to be flaky rock formations. It was ground down to a powder in a mortar and pestle to make a white powder. These Native Americans used the color white to signify that someone was in mourning.
Calcium Carbonate
Calcium carbonate was also crushed to make a white colored powder. Calcium carbonate can be found in certain rocks, eggshells, and shells of marine life. Again, they used white to show that someone is mourning.
Catlinite Stone
Catlinite stone is another clay deposit that was found in their area and was ground to a powder to make a dark pinkish red color. They often used this color during times of prayer.
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