Get a sneak peek at Minecraft's upcoming Archeology mechanics

You read that title correctly, dear reader. Archeology is coming to Minecraft! When you’re ready to get started with your new career as a Minecraft Archeologist, or M’archeologist as it’s known colloquially, head out to a nearby desert. That’s where the sand lives. Yes, yes, beaches have sand too. Good for them. But we’re looking for a special type of sand today. Pick a nice plot inside a desert temple and start shoveling.

While you’re digging, look out for a new block: suspicious sand! As the name suggests, you need to tread carefully here. Or rather, brush carefully. Along with new blocks and a general air of mystery, archeology also brings a new tool: The brush. Break it out, and carefully brush your block of suspicious sand. This allows you to extract whatever is hiding within, which can be anything from pottery shards to random objects!

If you look closely at the pottery shard, you can see that a partial pattern is painted on it. Once you collect four shards, you can put them together for a pot! There are different patterns that tell unique stories and make for very decorative accents in your builds.