Native Americans used various plants to create pigments. Some of the most common plants used were:
Red: ochre (iron oxide), red ocher (a type of clay), bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), and pokeberries (Phytolacca americana)
Blue: indigo (Indigofera tinctoria), woad (Isatis tinctoria), and blue corn (Zea mays var. amylacea)
Yellow: turmeric (Curcuma longa), saffron (Crocus sativus), and marigolds (Tagetes spp.)
Green: chlorophyll, which can be extracted from various plants, such as spinach (Spinacia oleracea) and stinging nettles (Urtica dioica)
Black: charcoal, lampblack (soot), and magnetite
Animal pigments
Native Americans also used various animals to create pigments. Some of the most common animals used were:
Red: blood from deer, bison, and other animals
Blue: blue shells from the ocean
Yellow: yellow feathers from birds, such as the yellow warbler (Setophaga petechia)
Green: green frogs (Rana clamitans) and green snakes (Opheodrys aestivus)
Black: black bear (Ursus americanus) fur and charcoal
Mineral pigments
Native Americans used various minerals to create pigments. Some of the most common minerals used were:
Red: ochre (iron oxide), red ochre (a type of clay), and hematite (Fe2O3)
Blue: azurite (Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2) and malachite (Cu2CO3(OH)2)
Yellow: limonite (FeO(OH).nH2O)
Green: serpentine (Mg3Si2O5(OH)4) and celadonite (KFe3+Si4O10(OH)2)
Black: charcoal, lampblack (soot), and magnetite (Fe3O4)
Preparation
The Native Americans would prepare their pigments by grinding them into a fine powder. They would mix the powder with water or another liquid to create a paint. The paint could then be applied to various surfaces, such as skin, clothing, and pottery.
Other uses of pigments
In addition to using pigments for creating art, the Native Americans also used pigments for other purposes, such as:
Body decoration: Native Americans would often paint their bodies with pigments for ceremonies, rituals, and warfare.
Signaling: Native Americans would also use pigments to create signals, such as smoke signals and trail markers.
Medicine: Native Americans would sometimes use pigments for medicinal purposes, such as treating wounds and illnesses.