With the launch of the 1.20 update, Minecraft has finally unveiled the long-awaited feature, Archaeology into its boundless, pixelated universe. As a player, you are about to encounter a whole new world of blocks waiting to be unearthed, ancient structures begging to be appreciated in their full glory, and even genuine artifacts lying beneath the surface, just a pickaxe swing away. This new addition is set to bring excitement to your interaction with the game, from epic exploration adventures to the thrill of gathering loot. Things will never be the same again, but in a good way, we think 🙂 Let’s venture together into the depths of this exciting new feature with our Minecraft Archeology guide.
A Guide to Archaeology in Minecraft 1.20
You have to keep in mind that since patch 1.20 is not released yet, the Archaeology feature will most likely have some changes and tweaks until its release. However, we’re confident that, even with some balance and loot changes, the bulk of the update is here and it’s worth reviewing.
What is Minecraft 1.20 officially called?
The Trails & Tales update, known as Minecraft 1.20, marks the debut of a significant upgrade to the Bedrock Edition and is slated to be released sometime in 2023. This eagerly anticipated update was first brought to light during Minecraft Live 2022, which took place on October 15, 2022. Later, on March 2, 2023, at the Minecraft Monthly event, the update’s captivating name was unveiled to the public.
When will Minecraft 1.20 be released?
Seeing how the latest Snapshots panned out, we believe that Minecraft 1.20 Trails & Tails will be released on May 30th. However, keep in mind this is a speculation based on the current build progress and past release history. Some people think the patch will be released in early June, but it remains to be seen. We’re keeping our May 30th bid on this one!
What is Archaeology in Minecraft 1.20 Trails & Tales
In line with its suggestive name, Archaeology introduces an entirely new array of features to Minecraft, infusing the game with a sense of antiquity by adding ancient blocks, unique items, and even two exciting new mobs. The new mobs are a new camel mob and the sniffer mob, the latter being the winner of 2022’s Minecraft Mob Vote event. This isn’t just a simple extension of the current treasure-hunting structures either. Archaeology elevates the player’s experience by demanding more effort and precision to excavate coveted ancient artifacts and earn rewarding treasures. This innovative feature refreshes the game’s existing mechanics and shines a spotlight on the desert biome and its associated structures, offering an enriched gaming experience to the Minecraft community.
For a considerable length of time, the Minecraft community has been eagerly anticipating the addition of an archaeology feature to the game. This exciting new element was initially hinted at over two years ago during previous content updates. Now, with the 1.20 update concentrating on desert biomes, it appears that this feature will come into play predominantly around the desert temples, a well-known and long-standing component of these dry, sandy biomes.
Historically, desert temples have been famed for their tempting treasures, cleverly hidden behind intricate traps and secret passages. Now, with the introduction of the archaeology feature in the 1.20 update, these structures will gain an added layer of interaction and utility for the players. The presence of suspicious sand blocks within temples will provide a clear clue for players to start digging in search of unique items.
Upon discovery, these newfound treasures will require a bit of TLC before they reveal their full glory. Here’s where the new brush tool, introduced exclusively for the archaeology feature, comes into play. Players will use this tool to clean their discoveries carefully, adding an extra layer of immersion and authenticity to the Minecraft experience. This brings us to the next chapter, items and blocks in the new Minecraft 1.20 update!
New Items and Blocks in the New 1.20 Update
The Archaeology system is currently bringing the following items and blocks to Minecraft:
- A new brush tool
- Suspicious Sand
- Pottery Shards
- Decorated Pots
How to make a brush tool
The brush is an essential tool that empowers you to delve beneath the surface of the deserts, revealing rare treasures and items of ancient origin. When you’re ready to craft your very own brush in Minecraft, the process is pretty straightforward. All you need are two simple sticks and three strands of string. With these materials in hand and a crafting table at your disposal, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a seasoned archaeologist.
You can also craft a Brush Tool with a stick, copper ingot, and feather. Evidently, you can use the tool until it breaks.
What is Suspicious Sand and where can you find it?
While it’s already known that Suspicious Sand blocks are a fantastic source for collecting pottery shards, they hold much more than meets the eye. These intriguing blocks of sand are like treasure chests, having a diverse range of loot within their grains. Interestingly, the type of loot you can discover depends on where the Suspicious Sand blocks are located. So, every dig can be a unique adventure, a mystery waiting to be unraveled, offering you an exciting variety of rewards. Spotting Suspicious Sand blocks is not highly evident, but hopefully, we can provide some guidance on that front.
Currently, you can find Suspicious Sand and Pottery Shards in Desert Well (up to 2 Pottery Shards types), Desert Temple (up to 4 Pottery Shards types), the new trail ruins, warm ocean ruins (up to 3 different Pottery Shards) and cold ocean ruins (4 different types of shards).
You can get a Sniffer’s Egg from the ocean’s ruins by dusting off with your precious brush.
Pottery Shards & Pots
Pottery shards are a key feature in the new update. These intriguing shards become visible when you gently dust away the Suspicious Sand using the brush.
There are a total of 20 Pottery Shards in Minecraft Trails & Tales.
By bringing together up to four of these pieces, you can create a Decorated Pot. You can create a Decorated Pot with just one Pottery Shard (1 symbol), which will be displayed on a side, or with up to 4 different shards, which will be displayed on each of the sides of the Decorated Pot. Oh and you can also craft an empty Decorated Pot using 4 normal bricks.
How to get into Archeology in Minecraft 1.20
Becoming an adventurous archeologist in Minecraft Trails & Trails is simple as sand.
- You need to craft yourself a brush since it’s the main archeologist tool in this update.
- Travel to a Desert Biome to look for a Desert Well or a Desert Temple.
- Start looking for suspicious sand blocks (hopefully, our earlier visual guide will come in handy now)
- Once you find a Suspicious Sand block, pull out your trusty brush and start dusting off the sand.
- Start collecting Pottery Shards and if you are lucky, find the new Sniffer Egg.
- Done! You’re the world’s best archeologist!
Now that you know everything about Minecraft 1.20 Trails & Tales, you’re ready to embark on a new adventure. Don’t forget, if you want to create a private world for you and your friends, get the Minecraft Server and create your own server now.
