In the UK
historically there are references to rubbing white chalk on lines in Moxon, 1678, and Ellis, 1906. Good on bark, ok on darker heartwoods.
References to rubbing charcoal, half burnt sticks onto a line, also to burning straw and the carbon resulting being used to make a "smut line". Good on sapwood and heartwood.
Raddle, or Fe2O3 is used as a red powder, with the line being pulled through a pot containing the powder. Raddle lines over 200 years old are still visible today.Good on sap and heartwood.