From Jerash to New York: Columns, Archaeology, and Politics at the 1964-65 World's Fair

摘要

The Column of Jerash serves as one of the few architectural remnants from the 1964-65 New York World's Fair. As we have demonstrated, the column did not come from the Temple of Artemis, but that fact does not diminish its historical value. It serves as an important case study in King Hussein's use of archaeological objects to forge cultural, political, and diplomatic relationships. The larger context of the gift, the Jordan Pavilion at the 1964-65 World's Fair, provided Jordan with a venue to promote tourism by establishing Jordan as the Holy Land and connecting it to a shared Western antiquity. In addition, King Hussein was able to use the occasion of the fair to opine on the political implications of the founding of Israel and on the predicament of Palestinian refugees in the region. In particular, the mural in the Jordan Pavilion allowed the Jordanian government to frame the Palestinian cause from a Jordanian perspective. The mural also allowed the Jordanian government to promote its position within the complex negotiations and political machinations that surrounded the founding of the PLO to an international and American audience. Although the Jordan Pavilion was torn down after the fair, along with most of the other pavilions, the Column of Jerash remained. It is no longer just a memorial to the greatness of Jerash and ancient Jordan or a way to promote stronger ties between the United States and Jordan; it is also one of the sole relics from the 1964-65 World's Fair. The Column of Jerash alludes both to the classical past and to a specific moment in American and global history, serving as a physical embodiment of the use of archaeological artifacts to promote political aims and forge ties between nations.