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 were finally added. Now you can look into Minecraft’s past! On your quest for dig sites, you’ll stumble across some exciting items that we’ll introduce to you!
Archaeology in Minecraft: How the New Feature & the Brush Work
Your most important tool for an excursion into the world of archaeology is a brush that you can craft from a stick, a copper ingot, and a feather. You can start relatively early and search for some items in your first hours in Minecraft. For the brush to last longer than 64 uses, you can enchant it with durability and repair.
Finding Strange Sand & Gravel: How to Discover Rare Items in Minecraft Archaeology
With the brush, you must then search for strange gravel and sand. These are found in five different dig sites and contain rare items that you can’t find anywhere else. Just hold down the right-click and watch as the item is revealed by the brush.
Sometimes it can be difficult to tell the difference between regular sand/gravel and their strange variants. So be cautious, just like real archaeologists. You don’t want to accidentally destroy one of your finds with a shovel! Our image hopefully gives you an idea of what to look for in the texture.
All Dig Sites: Trail Ruins, Temples & Ocean Ruins in Minecraft
Armed with a brush, you must then search for dig sites. Here are five places where you can search for unique items. While four of these structures have been in Minecraft for a while, there is also a completely new place that you can find and excavate! It is worth visiting all five structures as many of the items are exclusive. You won’t be able to find everything in just one place.
Trail Ruins: Discover New Dig Sites with Exclusive Items:
The new structure of the trail ruins is perfect for archaeology in Minecraft! They hint at an older population that might have lived in your Minecraft world. Therefore, the trail ruins are only found in these rare biomes: jungle, birch forest, spruce taiga, pine taiga, snowy taiga, and regular taiga. They are hardly visible on the surface and are buried deep underground. They mainly consist of ceramics and mud. Here you will find both strange sand and gravel for excavations.
Desert Temple: Uncover 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 here, hidden behind (strange) sand, where you can also conduct excavations. Appropriately for the chamber inside, you’ll be able to find TNT and gunpowder here.
Desert Well: How to Find Hidden Treasures & Emeralds in Minecraft
Desert wells are also very old and previously had virtually no function other than looking nice. But with a brush, you can find some strange sand here. Just look underwater and dig carefully to find some treasures. Emeralds are probably the best thing you can find here.
Cold Ocean Ruin: Underwater Excavations & Rare Items in Minecraft
As the name suggests, you find these ruins underwater in cold regions. They consist of various structures that have decayed. Here you will encounter strange gravel that you can dig out. It’s best to use a potion of breathing and night vision to help you navigate better.
Warm Ocean Ruin: How to Find Snifflet Eggs & Other Rare Items
Ocean ruins also exist in warm biomes, where you should dive equipped with potions. They consist of sandstone and contain strange sand. They are particularly good for a very rare item, which we will discuss shortly!
These Rare Items Can Be Found in Minecraft’s Dig Sites (Archaeology Guide)
The items you can find with the brush in all five locations differ slightly. Often, however, they are related to a potential ancient civilization. You will 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 keep an eye out for!
Finding Snifflet Eggs: How the Search Works 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 the warm ocean ruins. Dig around with a brush in the strange sand, and you will have the chance to find a snifflet egg. Inside is a very old animal that can lead you to rare flowers.
Pottery Shards & Pots: How to Collect and Craft Decorative Items in Minecraft Archaeology
Location: all five structures (but unique)
If you prefer to decorate, then you can search for pottery shards. Later, you can craft ornate pots in which you can hide items. Each dig site has different shards hidden!
Number per location:
- Trail Ruins: 7 pottery shards
- Desert Temple: 4 pottery shards
- Desert Well: 2 pottery shards
- Cold Ocean Ruin: 4 pottery shards
- Warm Ocean Ruin: 3 pottery shards
Some of the 23 shards can also be found in the trial chambers, which were also added in this update. However, 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 the Trail Ruins in Minecraft
Location: Trail Ruin
You can also find four unique smithing templates for your armor in the trail ruins. We have also written an article on this topic (Minecraft Armor: The Best Enchantments, Armor Stands, and Smithing Templates Explained) , if you want to learn more about it. They are primarily good for stylish armor and give you a unique appearance.
You can find:
- Pathfinder Armor Trim
- Awakener Armor Trim
- Shaper Armor Trim
- Host Armor Trim
Record “Relic”: How to Find Rare Music in Minecraft Archaeology
Location: Trail Ruin
Finally, you can also find one of the many records in the trail ruins when you dig out strange gravel with the brush. The record “Relic” has a rather friendly character and is reminiscent of old chiptune music. If you want to find all the other records in Minecraft, check out our article on it (Minecraft Records: All Locations & How to Build an Automatic Farm) !
Conclusion: Why Minecraft Archaeology is Worthwhile & 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 Minecraft’s potential past! With a brush, you should definitely search for these dig sites and visit some of the old ruins. Rent your own Minecraft server with us and embark on an exploration tour through your world with your friends!
