DISPLAY & FIELD FIND AWARDS

During State meetings, first and second place awards are presented to current members for best display and best individual field finds.   Judging is done by knowledgeable ASO members under the direction of the Exhibits Committee.   Categories and rules for both display and field found contests are described below.  To view a printable pdf of the information below, click here.   The ASO has a strict policy forbidding the display or sale of fraudulent artifacts at ASO meetings.

Display Contest

At a minimum, awards are given for each of the following three display categories: educational, site material/personal finds, and meeting theme.  A meeting theme is announced before each State Meeting to encourage members to display material or to provide educational information related to the meeting theme.  Example meeting themes include dovetails, fluted points, hematite, tube bannerstones, Flint Ridge flint, shell, and engraved slate.   At the judges' discretion, additional display awards may be given for other categories such as exceptional quality and Chapter completion.   

Display Contest Rules

1. Each display must be by a current member of the ASO.

2. Judging is done between 8:00 and 11:00am during the meeting.

3. Artifacts must be from Ohio or adjoining states (Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia and Pennsylvania) to be considered.

4. To insure you are included for judging, contestant must pick up a “display for judging” sign to be placed with display material.

Field Find Contest

The Field Find contest is for artifacts personally found out of archaeological context (field found) since the last meeting. The Field Find Contest is done on the honor system. Any member determined to have violated the personally found rule may be subject to removal from the Society. Only judges and contest officials are permitted behind tables. No one is permitted to handle entries except judges, contestant/owner, and contest official. First and second place ribbons are awarded at each State Meeting for each of the following categories:

• Flint Projectile Point (Notched, Unnotched, Lanceolate, Triangular…)

• Flint Projectile Point (Notched, Unnotched, Lanceolate, Triangular…);

• Flint Tool (Knife, Drill, Scraper, Blade…);

• Ground Stone Tool (Ax, Celt, Pestle, Mortar, Chisel, Utilitarian Object…);

• Pendant or Gorget (One or multiple holed flat slate, hardstone or shell);

• Bannerstone (drilled and undrilled);

• Miscellaneous Artifact (Birdstone, Plummet, Cone, Bar Amulet, Trophy Ax, Pipe, or any piece not included in the above categories);  and

• Artifacts found by children (13 and younger) which are not award winners in the above categories

Field Find Contest Rules

1. Each entrant must be a current member of the ASO, unless entrant is a child, in which case the parent must be a current member.

2. Every artifact entered must be personally found by the entrant since the last regular meeting.

3. Only one item can be entered in each category (a cache is considered one item).

4. Restored artifacts must be plainly marked with extent of restoration detailed.  

5. Contest begins at 8:00am and ends at 10:30am.

6. Artifacts must be found in Ohio or adjoining states (Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, or Pennsylvania).

Each year during the January State Meeting, first place winners of each category from the previous year’s Field Find Contest are eligible to enter the Best of the Year contest. This competition is in addition to the regular January Field Find Contest. Entrants must be the original finder and previous entrant. Winners in each of the categories are awarded a plaque. In addition to the regular Field Find Contest and the Best of the Year Contest, a Best Ever Contest is conducted each year during the March State Meeting. Categories are the same as the Field Find and Best of the Year contests. Rules are also the same with the exception of the timing of the field find. All three field find-related contest are done on the honor system. Any member determined to have violated the personally found rule may be subject to removal from the Society