Anyoto Society Leopard Man Ritual Costume
Artist: Unknown
Date: 19th-early 20th century
Classification: Costume
Dimensions: 114 x 136 x 3 cm
Materials: Bark, pigment, yarn
Adopted By: The Minnesota & North Dakota Chapter
Description
MEDIUM PRIORITY PROJECT
The Leopard Society was among the oldest secret societies in Central Africa, known as Anyoto or Aniota. It was exclusively male, most likely originating from a warrior population. Leopard is one of the most diverse animals in African legends that represents strength, fertility, agility, and ability in the hunt. It also has long fangs and sharp claws. It’s a sacred object, evoked in war times, but also feared and despised. The Anyoto, like members of analogous groups, empathized with the leopard by wearing its fur, imitating its sounds, and using wooden or iron claws replicas.
TOTAL COST: € 38.713,16 ($ 37,838.25)
Restoration Procedures
- Preliminary scientific investigations
- Anoxic disinfestation
- Graphic and photographic documentation of all phases of restoration
- Aspiration with the aid of micro-nozzles of the surface deposit
- Review of the stability of seams
- Repair of gaps
- Consolidation of weakened fibers and pigment
- Remodeling of deformations present on the costume
Detail
Adopted By:
The Minnesota & North Dakota ChapterInventory N°: 119114.2
Artist: Unknown
Date: 19th-early 20th century
Dimensions: 114 x 136 x 3 cm
Materials: Bark, pigment, yarn
Department:
Ethnological Collections Anima Mundimuseum:
Ethnological MuseumLaboratories:
Ethnological MaterialsWishbook year: 2023
Anyoto Society Leopard Man Ritual Costume - Restoration Report
The work was in a poor state of preservation. Some coherent deposits and inconsistent particles were visible on all surfaces.
The plant fiber were dehydrated. The tunic and the hood were affected by folds, abrasions, deformations, and tears.
A rectangular dowel, measuring approximately 5cm by 4cm on each side, was missing on the front lower part of the tunic, and the black pigment appeared decohered.
After the photographic documentation by Luigi Giordano of the Photographic Laboratory in February 2024, the creation of a graphic bases and the documentation of the state of preservation of the costume was performed using the paint.net program.
Of the eight pieces of beaten bark sewn together to make the tunic, two were used to reinforce the wrists, and only one was used to make the hood, rolled into a cone. At the same time, the diagnostic campaign began: Dr. Stefania Bani of the Scientific Research Cabinet (G.R.S.) for Cultural Heritage took some samples to carry out the planned analyses; four samples were taken to identify different plant fibers and black pigment. The sampling points were also recorded graphically. As a first step, the restorer performed a mechanical cleaning using tweezers to remove old empty cocoons of insect flickers, soft bristle brushes, and a power-controlled vacuum cleaner equipped with a micro-suction nozzle to remove particulate deposits and insect droppings.
Korean paper (or Hanji paper) of various weights was chosen to consolidate the tear and repair the gap.
Some tests of natural dyes, obtained by extracting the color produced by alder cones, gardenia seeds, madder roots, annatto seeds, and Brazilian wood (or verzino), were carried out on the type of Korean paper identified, and the results were compared with the Anioto costume to determine the correct shade.
During these months, it was also possible to research in the library and watch videos on the Internet; the different stages of bark processing could be studied in depth, gathering interesting material to develop a text for a future publication.
Once the conservation of this piece was complete, the final restoration meeting was held with the participation of the heads of all the departments involved. After a brief historical and geographical introduction and a comparison with the museum in Tervuren, the research and restoration work were presented. The Scientific Research Laboratory presented the results of the analysis of the materials: the bark used to make both the tunic and the hood came from a Ficus natalensis Hochst, family Moraceae, order Rosales; the fibers used for the seams came from leaf elements of the genus Raphia P.Beauv, 1806, plants of the family Arecaceae (commonly known as "palms"), species that are very common in the area of origin of this costume.
Photographer Luigi Giordano of the photographic laboratory carried out the photographic documentation of the restoration.
The Anioto costume was then placed in display case AF_07 in the Africa section of the Anima Mundi Museum.
Anyoto Society Leopard Man Ritual Costume
Details
Adopted by: The Minnesota & North Dakota Chapter
Inventory: 119114.2
Artist: Unknown
Date: 19th-early 20th century
Classification: Costume
Materials: Bark, pigment, yarn
Dimensions: 114 x 136 x 3 cm
Museum: Ethnological Museum
Department: Ethnological Collections Anima Mundi
Laboratory: Ethnological Materials
Wishbook year: 2023
Description
MEDIUM PRIORITY PROJECT
The Leopard Society was among the oldest secret societies in Central Africa, known as Anyoto or Aniota. It was exclusively male, most likely originating from a warrior population. Leopard is one of the most diverse animals in African legends that represents strength, fertility, agility, and ability in the hunt. It also has long fangs and sharp claws. It’s a sacred object, evoked in war times, but also feared and despised. The Anyoto, like members of analogous groups, empathized with the leopard by wearing its fur, imitating its sounds, and using wooden or iron claws replicas.
TOTAL COST: € 38.713,16 ($ 37,838.25)
Restoration Procedures
- Preliminary scientific investigations
- Anoxic disinfestation
- Graphic and photographic documentation of all phases of restoration
- Aspiration with the aid of micro-nozzles of the surface deposit
- Review of the stability of seams
- Repair of gaps
- Consolidation of weakened fibers and pigment
- Remodeling of deformations present on the costume
Media
Anyoto Society Leopard Man Ritual Costume
Restorations Update: Anyoto Society Leopard Man Ritual Costume - Restoration Report
The work was in a poor state of preservation. Some coherent deposits and inconsistent particles were visible on all surfaces.
The plant fiber were dehydrated. The tunic and the hood were affected by folds, abrasions, deformations, and tears.
A rectangular dowel, measuring approximately 5cm by 4cm on each side, was missing on the front lower part of the tunic, and the black pigment appeared decohered.
After the photographic documentation by Luigi Giordano of the Photographic Laboratory in February 2024, the creation of a graphic bases and the documentation of the state of preservation of the costume was performed using the paint.net program.
Of the eight pieces of beaten bark sewn together to make the tunic, two were used to reinforce the wrists, and only one was used to make the hood, rolled into a cone. At the same time, the diagnostic campaign began: Dr. Stefania Bani of the Scientific Research Cabinet (G.R.S.) for Cultural Heritage took some samples to carry out the planned analyses; four samples were taken to identify different plant fibers and black pigment. The sampling points were also recorded graphically. As a first step, the restorer performed a mechanical cleaning using tweezers to remove old empty cocoons of insect flickers, soft bristle brushes, and a power-controlled vacuum cleaner equipped with a micro-suction nozzle to remove particulate deposits and insect droppings.
Korean paper (or Hanji paper) of various weights was chosen to consolidate the tear and repair the gap.
Some tests of natural dyes, obtained by extracting the color produced by alder cones, gardenia seeds, madder roots, annatto seeds, and Brazilian wood (or verzino), were carried out on the type of Korean paper identified, and the results were compared with the Anioto costume to determine the correct shade.
During these months, it was also possible to research in the library and watch videos on the Internet; the different stages of bark processing could be studied in depth, gathering interesting material to develop a text for a future publication.
Once the conservation of this piece was complete, the final restoration meeting was held with the participation of the heads of all the departments involved. After a brief historical and geographical introduction and a comparison with the museum in Tervuren, the research and restoration work were presented. The Scientific Research Laboratory presented the results of the analysis of the materials: the bark used to make both the tunic and the hood came from a Ficus natalensis Hochst, family Moraceae, order Rosales; the fibers used for the seams came from leaf elements of the genus Raphia P.Beauv, 1806, plants of the family Arecaceae (commonly known as "palms"), species that are very common in the area of origin of this costume.
Photographer Luigi Giordano of the photographic laboratory carried out the photographic documentation of the restoration.
The Anioto costume was then placed in display case AF_07 in the Africa section of the Anima Mundi Museum.
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