NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE OR DONATION WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED BY LAW.
 

1. Eligibility

The Vase Carving Challenge (“Challenge” or “Contest”) is open to individuals who are 18 years of age or older at the time of entry. Employees, officers, directors, agents, and representatives of Artifact Research Foundation Inc. (“Sponsor”) or its affiliates, and their immediate families, are not eligible to participate. The Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
 

2. Sponsor

This Contest is sponsored by Artifact Research Foundation Inc., a New York nonprofit corporation (“Sponsor”).
 

3. Contest Period

The Contest begins on October 1, 2025, and ends on October 1, 2028 (the “Contest Period”). Entries received before or after the Contest Period will not be considered.
 

4. Background

Certain pre-dynastic and early dynastic Egyptian stone vessels exhibit high levels of accuracy in their geometry and circularity (roundness or radial deviation). Some spherical vessels exhibit radial deviation of 0.001” (25 micron) or less. Traditional archaeological explanations of how this was achieved involve hand tool methods that may be insufficient to explain this level of accuracy. In modern times, machine tooling and hand-finishing methods are commonly used to achieve such accuracy in metal tooling, but spherical stone carving is not commonly attempted.

The Vase Carving Challenge is a worldwide contest to explore whether traditional pre-dynastic Egyptian stone carving methods are capable of producing repeated radial deviations of 0.001” while adhering to complex spherical design elements. 
 

5. How to Enter

To enter, participants (“applicants” or “entrants”) must submit an application before April 1, 2026 via the application found HERE.  As part of the application process, applicants must identify themselves and all persons or entities that will participate in the design and fabrication of the submitted entry.  Applicants must describe their proposed process in detail. The Sponsor reserves the right to accept or reject applications based on its own discretion. Only one entry per person unless otherwise stated. Entries must be original and must not infringe on the rights of third parties.

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6. Fabrication Rules

Entries will be subject to the following rules:

6.1.  Material:  Any stone with a Mohs-scale hardness of 6.0 or higher is eligible.  This includes granites, diorites, serpentine, basalt, gneiss, siltstone, andesite, porphyry and others.

6.2.  Tools:   Any tools used in the cutting, carving, or polishing steps must conform to the archaeologically accepted tools of pre-dynastic Egypt.  Blades, axes, pounding tools, drills, awls, and other abrasive tools are all considered to be contemporaneous with the time period of 5,000 – 3,000 B.C.E. Use of a wheel is strictly prohibited. Tools may be constructed of wood, stone, or metal (copper and bronze only). Use of iron is strictly prohibited. 

6.3.  Documentation and Proof-of-Work:  Applicants must document their progress with regular cadence.  One photograph per day is adequate.  One video per week spanning no more than 10 minutes must show the progression of (i) the stone removal process, (ii) the carving process, (iii) hollowing out process, and (iv) the polishing and finishing processes.

If an entry requires the use of tools not originally proposed in the application, applicants must notify the Sponsor in writing and obtain approval prior to the use of such tool. Failure to do so may result in disqualification.

6.4.  Vessel Design and Geometry must be pre-approved.  Lug handles must be present, and must be located on the upper 1/3 of the vessel body.  Lug handles may be left undrilled from end to end. Mouth diameter must be at least 25% shorter than interior maximum diameter.  Vessels should be 18 inches 46 cm or less in height and 18 inches 46 cm or less in diameter. 

6.6.  Roundness (Circularity) Criteria:  Entries must exhibit interior median circularity no greater than 0.005".  Exterior median circularity should be no greater than 0.001"

6.7.  Other Rules:

• Exterior surfaces should be polished.  Interiors do not need to be.

• Vessel interior should follow the exterior contour.  Wall thickness must be no greater than .375” throughout a minimum of ½ of the interior body cavity.

• Except for the bottom, no flat surfaces should be present. All surfaces should exhibit radii.

• For the avoidance of doubt, no modern equipment of any kind may be used to manipulate the stone in any way. The use of the wheel in any form is strictly prohibited.
   

7. Judging Criteria

Submissions will be judged on the following criteria:

7.1.  Roundness (Circularity) – 40%:  The degree to which the vessel meets and exceeds the minimum allowable median circularity as set forth in Section 6.6.

7.2.  Material Selection – 30%:  Consideration will be given for fabrication difficulty. Crystal inclusions (eg. feldspar, quartz, etc.) represent challenging components in the stone’s groundmass.

7.3.  Geometry and Form – 30%:  Consideration will be given to design complexity. The more complex the spherical geometry, the better. The more radii the better.

In the event of a tie, consideration may also be given to the fabrication process, tool implementation, and fabrication time.

Decisions of the judges are final and binding.
 

8. Prizes

One (1) Grand Prize Winner will receive USD $25,000. All prizes are non-transferable, and no substitution is permitted except at Sponsor’s discretion. Winners are solely responsible for any and all federal, state, and local taxes.
 

9. Winner Notification

The potential winner will be notified by email and/or phone within 10 days of selection. If a potential winner does not respond within 14 days, an alternate winner may be selected.
 

10. Intellectual Property

By entering, participants represent that their submission is original. Entrants grant Sponsor a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, display, and distribute the entry for promotional and educational purposes. Submitted entries may be returned to applicants 120 days after Contest Period at the shipping expense of the applicant.
 

11. Release and Limitation of Liability

By participating, entrants agree to release and hold harmless Sponsor, its directors, officers, and affiliates from any claims, damages, or liabilities arising from participation or prize acceptance.
 

12. Governing Law

This Contest shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York without regard to conflict of law provisions.
 

13. Contact Information

For questions on the Contest, Rules, or Application procedure, please contact the Artifact Research Foundation Inc.   

     info@artifactfoundation.org