For a summary of the history of the awards up to 2000, please consult Kenneth Farnsworth’s 2000 article “Recognizing our Own: Historic Summary and Overview of IAS Honors and Awards: 1958–1999.” Illinois Archaeology 12 (1&2):315–323.
The IAS has six categories of awards:
Charles J. Bareis Distinguished Service Award
This award honors those individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to Illinois archaeology and/or the Illinois Archaeological Survey.
The Leonard W. Blake Distinguished Amateur Award
The Blake award is named in honor of its first recipient. It recognizes avocational archaeologists who have made significant contributions to Illinois archaeology and who have supported the goals and methodologies of professional archaeology.
Honorary Lifetime Membership
This award is given to recognize outstanding career achievements by members of the organization. The original Lifetime members were ‘pioneers’ of the organization.
The Illinois Archaeology Career Achievement Award
This award honors professional archaeologists for outstanding career accomplishments and contributions to our understanding of Illinois prehistory and history.
The Illinois Archaeology Public Service Award
This award recognizes important contributions to Illinois archaeology by public figures, private citizens, organizations and programs for their outstanding efforts to promote, protect and preserve cultural resources.
The IAS Memorial Service Award
This award honors the achievements of Illinois archaeologists whose careers have been cut short by fatal illness or accident.
