The Oxford English Dictionary helps with the definition: puccoon
(or, variously, pocones, pochone, pohcoon, poughkone, pecoon, poccoon,
puckoon), is a plant “yielding a red dye: originally, as it appears, of the red
puccoon or blood-root, Sanguinaria canadensis, N.O. Papaveraceæ,
and hoary puccoon, Lithospermum canescens, N.O. Boraginaceæ”
(OED).  
When applied to the skin, the dye was quite striking, and was noted by many early travelers.  In his Generall
Historie, Captain John Smith noted, “Pocones
is a small roote that groweth in the mountaines, which being dryed and beate in
powder turneth read.  And this they use
for swellings, aches, annointing their joints, painting their heads and
garments.  They account it very precious
and of much worth” (Smith, Works , II, 110).  
The early naturalist John Banister writes that the natives “pulverize
the roots of a kind of Anchusa or yellow Alknet which they call Puccoon & a
sort of wild Angelica, & mixing them together with Bears oyl make a red
ointment, which after they anoint themselves cap-a-pe; this supplies their
skin, renders them nimble & active, & withall so closeth up their pores
that they loose little of their strength by perspiration.”  This passage from Banister's manuscript appears verbatim (and uncredited) in Beverley's history (Book III, p. 52).  

Other travelers note (like Banister) the medicinal function of puccoon, and its insect-repellent properties.  Smith and others note that the practice was *not* limited to men.  In his Generall
Historie, Smith reports the tidewater custom of receiving “any great
commander,” which involved ceremonies of greeting, orations, and food: “Such
victuall as they have, they spend freely, and at night where his lodging is
appointed, they set a woman fresh painted red with Pocones and oyle, to be his bedfellow.”  Smith, Works,
II, 121.  This suggests that female tattooing and puccoon-use were not mutually exclusive, and that Powhatan women did indeed use it for at least some occasions.

Cheers--Kevin Joel Berland
(the other Kevin)
 


On Mon, 26 Feb 2007 09:53:37 -0500  Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history               wrote:

I have been reading some of Helen Roundtree's books on the Powhatans and 
other Eastern Woodland Tribes.

Roundtree frequently mentions the use of puccoon as a decoration, suggesting 
widespread and lavish use such that it could explain the term "red men" in 
early European literature.

Does anyone know more about what puccoon is and how it was used? At what age 
did Indians begin to decorate themselves with it? Was it a grease-based 
makeup, or a clay based? Did it wash off when they bathed daily? How similar 
was it to rouge used in Europe? How similar is it to the powdered rouge 
currently in fashion?

Thanks for any help.

Anne















































Anne Pemberton
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http://www.erols.com/stevepem
http://www.erols.com/apemberthttp://www.educationalsynthesis.org 

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