The world’s fairs as spaces of global knowledge: Latin American archaeology and anthropology in the age of exhibitions

Sven Schuster

doi:10.1017/s1740022817000298

Abstract

AbstractAt the end of the nineteenth century, Brazil, Mexico, and Peru were among the countries participating in the most important world’s fairs in Europe and North America. These mass gatherings focused on national self-images as well as technological development and commodities, but the Latin American exhibition organizers also understood them to be transnational spaces that contributed to the mobility of persons, objects, and knowledge. In this context, the scientific display of pre-Columbian ‘antiquities’ was regarded as being as important as the participation in archaeological and anthropological congresses. By understanding the world’s fairs as ‘spaces of global knowledge’, this article highlights the agency of Latin American scientists, intellectuals, and collectors in the transnational endeavour to create a ‘Latin American antiquity’ at the fairgrounds. Although most fair attendees sought to study and display the pre-Columbian past in an objective manner, the older dream of (re-)constructing the splendour of America’s ancient civilizations never completely vanished.

Highlights

In the early 1830s, many Latin American countries had effectively integrated indigenous symbolism into their national iconography
At the end of the nineteenth century, Brazil, Mexico, and Peru were among the countries participating in the most important world’s fairs in Europe and North America
These mass gatherings focused on national self-images as well as technological development and commodities, but the Latin American exhibition organizers understood them to be transnational spaces that contributed to the mobility of persons, objects, and knowledge

Summary

Introduction

In the early 1830s, many Latin American countries had effectively integrated indigenous symbolism into their national iconography. From the Great London Exhibition of 1862 onwards, Latin American national displays became a common sight at the world’s fairs in Europe and the US, with Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina being the region’s most regular participants. They were joined sporadically by Chile, Majluf, ‘Ce n’est pas le Pérou’, pp. The regime of Porfirio Díaz in Mexico, the imperial as well as the republican rulers of Brazil, and the constitutionalist governments of Peru all used the fairs of the 1880s and ’90s to (re-)construct their version of a ‘Latin American antiquity’ according to the scientific standards of the day From this perspective, the modern nation-state could be thought of as the culmination of thousands of years of ‘American’ history, thereby rebuking negative European conceptions of the ‘New World’ – a ‘continent without history’ – in the words of Hegel.[25]. J7 6 SVENSCHUSTER has pointed out, the US government-sponsored Bureau of the American Republics partly assumed the representation of the Central and South American republics at the Chicago fair, further restricting the possibilities for autonomous national self-representation.[35]

Envisioning an Indianist empire

Conclusion