Beneath the rubble, the Crystal Palace! The surprising persistence of a temporary mega event

Jonathan Gardner

doi:10.1080/00438243.2018.1489734

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis paper considers the archaeological traces of some of the largest temporary gatherings imaginable: modern cultural mega events such as World's Fairs, Expositions and Olympic Games. Focusing specifically on what is widely accepted as the ‘first’ such event, The Great Exhibition of 1851, its aftermath and the rebuilding of its host structure, the Crystal Palace, the author investigates how mega events’ archaeological traces can provide alternative accounts of the history of temporary spectacles. The author also highlights how an event sometimes becomes conflated with its structure, showing how the Crystal Palace’s materials persisted long after the original gathering was over. Even after event sites take on radically different uses or their structures are moved, altered or totally destroyed, their scant traces can still inspire a desire for resurrection.

Highlights

This paper considers the archaeological traces of some of the largest temporary gatherings imaginable: modern cultural mega events such as World's Fairs, Expositions and Olympic Games
Even after event sites take on radically different uses or their structures are moved, altered or totally destroyed, their scant traces can still inspire a desire for resurrection
Many other temporary uses followed in the wake of the War including further exhibitions, motor racing, music festivals, sporting events and various failed efforts to resurrect the Palace. Such uses reiterate the fact that the original gathering of 1851 sparked a long chain of events that led to the extreme longevity of the original structure and, that subsequent temporary gatherings sometimes complicated associations with the Exhibition. In this exploration of the traces of what remains after a mega event, The Great Exhibition of 1851, several interrelated conclusions emerge

Summary

Introduction

This paper considers the archaeological traces of some of the largest temporary gatherings imaginable: modern cultural mega events such as World's Fairs, Expositions and Olympic Games. Focusing on what is widely accepted as the ‘first’ such event, The Great Exhibition of 1851, its aftermath and the rebuilding of its host structure, the Crystal Palace, the author investigates how mega events’ archaeological traces can provide alternative accounts of the history of temporary spectacles.

Results

Conclusion