The Amlicites who escaped from Alma and his armies joined with the attacking Lamanite armies. Evidently they soon felt the need of marking themselves so their new allies, the dark-skinned Lamanites, could identify them as these two groups battled against the Nephites. Thus the Amlicites "marked themselves with red in their foreheads after the manner of the Lamanites." (Alma 3:4.)
This statement has two possible interpretations: (1) the Lamanites had red skin so the Amlicites marked themselves with red, or (2) the Lamanites marked themselves with red, and the Amlicites imitated them by marking themselves with red. Regardless of which interpretation is correct, this statement may provide a clue concerning the origin of painted war faces among this people, which continued to the coming of the white man some 1600 years later.