Minecraft Archaeology Guide: All Tools, Loot, and More

Archaeology has finally made its way into Minecraft after much anticipation. With Minecraft 1.20 Trails & Tales, digging for treasure is the new move, thanks to additions like the Brush, Desert Temples, and pieces of pottery. Wondering how everything works in this new chapter of Minecraft? Our Archaeology guide has what you need to know about tools, loot, and more.

Minecraft 1.20 Archaeology Explained

The Minecraft Trails & Tales update brings a lot of new things to the game, like ancient blocks and items, the Brush, and a new mob. Even with those big changes, the main ones are focused on the structures found throughout the world. However, to truly experience Archaeology in MC, it all starts with the most important new tool, the Brush.

The brush is the one new tool in this update, and making one is imperative if you want to dive into Archaeology. So before anything, head to your crafting table and combine a feather, copper ingot, and a stick. With brush in hand, it’s time to go treasure hunting.

New Blocks and Items in Minecraft 1.20

The Trails & Tales update has added the following blocks and items:

• Pottery Shards
• Brushes
• Suspicious Sand and Gravel
• Decorated Pots
• Sniffer Eggs

Suspicious Sand is one of the new blocks that can only be found in some of the structures you come across in the desert. I was lucky enough to find some in the first desert temple I found close to a village, and I also managed to find a few pottery shards. The new sand is a little hard to distinguish from the rest, but with a keen eye, you’ll notice the difference. The same can be said for Suspicious Gravel, which can be found in Ocean Ruins under the sea.

When you think you’ve found one of these blocks (pictured below), it’s time to whip out the brush and give the block a dusting to receive the buried treasure. If you’re lucky, you’ll find a shard of pottery, but there is a wide range of treasures you can find in the different structures as well.

In desert structures, you can find:

• Pottery Shards
• Suspicious Stew
• Emeralds
• Gunpowder
• TNT
• Diamond

In Ocean Ruins, you can find:

• Pottery Shards
• Sniffer Egg
• Emeralds
• Wheat
• Wooden Hoe
• Coal
• Gold Nugget
• Iron Axe

What to Do with Minecraft Trails & Tales Loot: Decorated Pots and Sniffer Eggs

When it comes to the massive amount of pottery shards you collect, you can combine up to four of them to create a Decorated Pot. Decorated Pots are used for decoration only, but mixing and matching shards produce different styles for the pots. Keep that in mind when making pots for your house.

Sniffer eggs can be hatched to bring out the new mob, and emeralds can be used for trading with villagers. The other things you’ll find excavating are pretty common tools or materials, but the act of digging for them makes it fun.

That’s what there is to know about Minecraft‘s 1.20 Archaeology update. Use our guide to see what’s in store and find adventure stories to tell your friends the next time you play together. For more tips and tricks, head over to our Minecraft guides page.