A New Art/Sci. Category: A Whimsical Proposal
                             by
                      Daniel C. Phelps
 
Many years ago I attended a traveling exhibition of artifacts recovered from the   Mary Rose, a 16th century English naval vessel which was lost at sea.   One of its more   intriguing exhibits was a display consisting of a number of mysterious objects for which   the archeologists could not discern a purpose.  The sign on the display requested that the  viewers of the exhibition might provide some suggestions.  I submit that the inclusion of  such a mystery category in Art/Sci competitions and displays might be both amusing and  educational.  I propose that the rules for the category be as follows:
   1.) The object must have been a practical item in general use in the old world after  200 AD and before 1600 AD.
  2.)  The use of the object, as reconstructed, must not be immediately obvious to the casual  observer.
  3.) The object, as reconstructed, should not be so ornamented as to obscure its intended
  purpose.
  4.) The entrant should be able document the object and demonstrate its use.
  5.) The use of the object must be within the bounds of good taste and decorum.
 
It is suggested that the ideal object to be recreated might best be a tool which modern  technology has either rendered generally obsolete or altered so substantially that its  original antecedent form can no longer be discerned.   The entries would be displayed  without explanation except for sheets on which guesses by the general populace could be  recorded.  Documentation would be provided with each entry in a sealed envelope to be  opened by the judges after their guesses are recorded as well.  I suggest that in addition to conventional judging criteria a befuddlement factor, based on the recorded guesses might be calculated as well.