What is Minecraft archeology? The Minecraft archeology system was an exciting new mechanic first announced as part of the massive Caves and Cliffs update. A number of announcements made at the same time were eventually shelved, including bundles and archeology itself, while The Warden and its Deep Dark biome were delayed as the update was split in two. This was no bad thing as it was due to the addition of so much more content than planned, and archeology made it in the end as part of Minecraft 1.20.

Archeology is a unique mechanic in the sandbox game with its own Minecraft blocks and items, essential for uncovering valuables and ancient artifacts – dust away sand to reveal Minecraft diamonds, emeralds, and pottery sherds, among other things. If you’re curious how all of this works, here’s a simple guide to getting started with Minecraft archeology.

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