Every archeology feature in Minecraft 1.20 Trails & Tales update

The Minecraft 1.20 Trails and Tales update will soon be released with loads of new features, including archeology.

This particular feature was announced way back in 2020, when Mojang was planning to release the first Caves and Cliffs update. Unfortunately, it was not featured in several future updates for some reason.

Nearly two years later, it was once again introduced in 2023 and confirmed for the 1.20 update. As of now, it is available in both snapshot and beta preview versions of Java and Bedrock Edition.

Here is every new feature that will be released with archeology in the Minecraft 1.20 Trails and Tales update.

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All features coming with archeology in Minecraft 1.20 Trails and Tales update

Suspicious Sand

Suspicious sand blocks and regular sand blocks will be quite similar in texture in Minecraft 1.20 Trails and Tales update (Image via Mojang)

Let's start from the very beginning with a brand new block players will have to find in order to explore the archeology features in the game. This new block is called suspicious sand.

As of now, Mojang has confirmed that the new block will generate inside desert temples and desert wells.

When explorers stumble upon one of these structures, they will have a hard time finding suspicious sand since its texture is quite similar to that of regular sand.

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Brush

Brush will be a new tool that will allow players to dig items from certain blocks in Minecraft 1.20 Trails and Tales update (Image via Mojang)

Once players have found suspicious sand blocks, they cannot simply mine them with any tool or hand.

They will need a special new tool that comes with the archeology feature as well: the brush. This brand new tool can easily brush away the suspicious sand block to reveal what's inside it.

It can be crafted with a feather, a copper ingot, and a stick, all placed in a vertical line on the crafting table. As of now, its only use is to brush off random items from suspicious sand blocks.

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Pottery shards

Pottery shards are only used to craft decorated pots in Minecraft 1.20 Trails and Tales update (Image via Mojang)

Players can find all kinds of items in suspicious sand blocks, including new items like pottery shards. This is one of the main items players will be trying to find after the update drops, since it can be used to craft decorated pots.

There are four different kinds of pottery shards with different carvings: Arms Up, Prize, Skull, and Acher.

When these pottery shards are placed in a diamond shape, they can create a decorated pot. As of now, they do not have any other use in the game.

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Decorated pots

Decorated pots crafted with bricks will have no carvings in the sides in Minecraft 1.20 Trails and Tales update (Image via Mojang)

As mentioned above, decorated pots are brand new blocks that can be crafted with either pottery shards, bricks, or both.

When crafted with pottery shards, they will have carvings on them, whereas if they are only crafted with bricks, they will not have any carvings. These are brilliant new decorative blocks that players can use in several ways.