Archaeology means finding things from the past and placing them in a historical context. A similar feature has long been promised in Minecraft, as the game is perfectly suited for long-forgotten and buried secrets. With the Minecraft Trails & Tales Update (1.20), archaeology features have finally been added. You can now peer into Minecraft’s past! On the hunt for excavation sites, you’ll stumble upon some exciting items, all of which we’ll introduce to you!
Archaeology in Minecraft: How the New Feature & the Brush Work
Your most important tool on a foray into the world of archaeology is a brush, which you can craft from a stick, a copper ingot, and a feather. You can start relatively early and begin searching for some items within your first hours in Minecraft. To make the brush last longer than 64 uses, you can enchant it with Unbreaking and Mending.
Finding Unusual Sand & Gravel: Discover Rare Items in Minecraft Archaeology
With the brush, you must search for unusual gravel and sand. These can be found in five different excavation sites and contain rare items that you can’t find anywhere else. Simply hold down right-click and watch as the item is revealed by the brush.
Sometimes it can be hard to tell the difference between normal sand/gravel and their unusual variants. So be careful, just like real archaeologists. You don’t want to accidentally destroy one of your finds with a shovel! Our image will hopefully give you a clue about what to look for in the texture.
All Excavation Sites: Trail Ruins, Temples & Ocean Ruins in Minecraft
Armed with a brush, you must then search for excavation sites. There are five places where you can search for unique items. While four of these structures have been around in Minecraft for a while, there is also a completely new location that you can find and excavate! It’s worth visiting all five structures, as many of the items are exclusive. You won’t be able to find everything in one place.
Trail Ruins: Discover New Excavation Sites with Exclusive Items:
The new structure of trail ruins is perfect for archaeology in Minecraft! They hint at an older population that might have lived in your Minecraft world. Therefore, trail ruins can only be found in these rare biomes: Jungle, Birch Forest, Old Growth Pine Taiga, Old Growth Spruce Taiga, Snowy Taiga, and the normal Taiga. They are barely recognizable on the surface and are buried deep underground. They primarily consist of ceramics and mud. Here you can find both unusual sand and gravel for excavations.
Desert Temples: Reveal Hidden Rooms & Rare Items with a Brush
Desert temples are one of the oldest structures in Minecraft and have gained new utility through archaeology. A small new room has been added, hidden behind (unusual) sand, where you can also conduct some excavations. Suitable for the chamber inside, you can find TNT and gunpowder here.
Desert Wells: How to Find Hidden Treasures & Emeralds in Minecraft
Desert wells are also very old and previously had little function other than to look nice. But with a brush, you can find some unusual sand here. Just look underwater and carefully dig your way forward to find some treasures. Emeralds are probably the best things you can find here.
Cold Ocean Ruins: Underwater Excavations & Rare Items in Minecraft
As the name suggests, you can find these ruins underwater in cold regions. They consist of various structures that have decayed. Here you will encounter unusual gravel that you can dig up. It’s best to use a potion of water breathing and night vision to help you find your way around.
Warm Ocean Ruins: How to Find Sniffer Eggs & Other Rare Items
Ocean ruins are also found in warm biomes, where you should dive in armed with potions. They are made of sandstone and contain unusual sand. They are particularly good for a very rare item, which we will discuss shortly!
These Rare Items Can Be Found at Minecraft’s Excavation Sites (Archaeology Guide)
The items you can find with the brush at all five locations differ slightly. They often relate to a potential ancient civilization. So, you’ll find things like coal, valuable items like emeralds, gold nuggets, or diamonds, but also glass panes, candles, dyes, and seeds. However, there are some rare items you should definitely look out for!
Finding Sniffer Eggs: How to Search in Warm Ocean Ruins
Location: Warm Ocean Ruin
In the section on locations, we already mentioned that there is a very important and rare item that you can ONLY find in warm ocean ruins. Dig around with a brush in the unusual sand, and you will have a chance to find a sniffer egg. Inside is a very old animal that can lead you to rare flowers.
Pottery Shards & Jars: How to Collect and Craft Decor Items in Minecraft Archaeology
Location: All five structures (but unique)
If you prefer decorating, you can search for pottery shards. You can later craft decorated jars from these, in which you can hide items. Each excavation site has different shards hidden!
Number per location:
- Trail Ruins: 7 Pottery Shards
- Desert Temples: 4 Pottery Shards
- Desert Wells: 2 Pottery Shards
- Cold Ocean Ruins: 4 Pottery Shards
- Warm Ocean Ruins: 3 Pottery Shards
Some of the 23 shards can also be found in the trial chambers, which were also added in this update. We have a separate article on that (Minecraft Trial Chambers: How to Find & Master Them!) , if you want to delve into that.
Finding Smithing Templates: Exclusive Designs from Trail Ruins in Minecraft
Location: Trail Ruin
You can also find four unique smithing templates for your armor in the trail ruins. We’ve already written an article on this topic (Minecraft Armor: Best Enchantments, Armor Stands, and Smithing Templates Explained) , if you want to learn more. They are primarily good for fancy armor and give you a unique appearance.
You can find:
- Wayfinder Armor Trim
- Raiser Armor Trim
- Shaper Armor Trim
- Host Armor Trim
Music Disc “Relic”: How to Find Rare Music in Minecraft Archaeology
Location: Trail Ruin
Finally, you can also find one of the many music discs in the trail ruins when you dig up unusual gravel with a brush. The music disc “Relic” has a rather friendly character and is reminiscent of old chiptune music. If you want to find all the other music discs in Minecraft, check out our article on it (Minecraft Music Discs: All Locations & How to Build an Automatic Farm) !
Conclusion: Why Minecraft Archaeology is Worth It & How to Find All Items
Minecraft is a game that invites exploration. The new features of the Trails & Tales update offer you new and unique opportunities to discover the potential past of Minecraft! With a brush, you should definitely seek out these excavation sites and explore some of the ancient ruins. Rent your own Minecraft server with us and embark on a journey of discovery through your world with your friends!
