Top 5 things to know about archeology in Minecraft 1.20 update

Archeology is an exciting new feature introduced in the upcoming Minecraft 1.20 update. In addition to this fun new ability to conduct archeological digs, the update also brings new items, blocks, and mechanics to the game.

Some of these additions include a brand new mob, the sniffer, a camel, and even a new cherry blossom biome.

But what can players do with archeology in Minecraft? Read on to find out.

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Top five things players should know about archeology in the Minecraft 1.20 update.

Archeology in Minecraft is a new gameplay mechanic that allows players to discover ancient artifacts in the game world. These artifacts can be found using a brush to uncover hidden dig sites scattered throughout the game. Players can then recreate the game's history and inhabitants using these artifacts.

If you're a Minecraft player interested in archeology and want to dig up the game's history, here are the top five things you should know about the Minecraft 1.20 update.

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5) Excavating artifacts

The core feature of the Minecraft 1.20 update's archeology mechanics is excavating artifacts. To do so, players must locate a dig site which is a small land area marked with suspicious sand blocks. These blocks have a strange tint to them and look different from other sand blocks.

After discovering a dig site, players can use a brush to remove the sand and uncover hidden artifacts. While excavating, players can discover a variety of artifacts, such as ancient pottery, rare gemstones, and even sniffer eggs.

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4) Digging up the sniffer eggs

The sniffer is the newest mob introduced to the game and won the Minecraft Live Mob vote in 2022, beating out Tuff Golem and Rascal. This special dinosaur mob is an ancient mob that slowly walks around and sniffs the ground.

When the sniffer locates a block it is interested in, it will dig it up with its powerful nose. The items it digs up are ancient seeds, which can be used to grow torchflowers. This flower is used for breeding sniffers and can also make dye.

To find a sniffer egg, players must find suspicious sand and hope that when they brush it away with the brush tool, they will find one of these rare eggs.

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3) The new pottery mechanic

The Minecraft 1.20 update also adds a new pottery mechanic, which allows players to design and decorate their own pottery. Players must collect pottery shards that can be found inside suspicious sand to make pottery.

Each pottery shard has a unique design, and players will need four different pottery shards to craft a decorative pot.

The way it works is that each side of the pot will have the design of the pottery shard on it so that players can use four of the same pottery shards or four different ones for each side. They can even use plain bricks to make the side of the pot blank. Once the pot has been created, players can place it in their world.

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2) Brushing away debris

Players must use a brush to clear away debris and reveal hidden treasures beneath as they excavate artifacts. The brush is a new tool in the Minecraft 1.20 update exclusive to archeology mechanics. It gently removes sand and other debris without harming the artifacts beneath.

To create a brush, players will need to use two sticks and three strings to combine them at a crafting table. Once this has been created, players will have the brush in their inventory.

To use the brush, approach a block of suspicious sand and use the brush like any other tool. With enough luck, players will be able to discover many artifacts deep within the suspicious sand.

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1) Fill out a pottery collection - or smash it

One of the more unique aspects of pottery is how it functions when placed down. Of course, players can take a whole pot and place it in their base or give it to a friend to decorate theirs. Additionally, with so many different combinations, players can have many pots without repeating a design.

However, if players choose not to like a specific design, they do not have to worry about losing their materials. Approach the pot and break it using a tool. This will cause it to drop all 4 of the pottery shards, so players can get them back and make the pots perfect to their liking.