IBERIAN ARCHEOLOGY IN THE UNIVERSAL AND INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITIONS OF THE END OF THE 19TH CENTURY AND THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH

International exhibitions were the greatest worldwide events during the second half of the 19th century and the first quarter of the 20th century. These fairs functioned as scenarios where each nation could exhibit its scientific and technological developments. The popularity of these international fairs until the end of the 19th century; turned them into the perfect place for nations to show their scientific progresses as well as their economical and political growth. Due to this reason, these events acted at the same time as a board to play international relations. In the same way, the consolidation of the different national identities created during the 19th century can be observed. One key factor inside national identities is historical legitimization and, as a consequence, the exhibition of archaeological objects is aimed to represent each nation's past. On this essay, we analyse the function of Iberian archaeology in these fairs, giving special attention to the statues of Cerro de los Santos-, which were discovered during the decade of 1870.