The Cataclysm expansion introduces a new secondary profession, Archaeology, available to every character alongside their primary professions. This profession immerses players in an adventure across Azeroth and beyond, delving into ancient sites to unearth artifacts and expand their collections.
Archaeology offers a plethora of unique rewards, including toys, mounts, pets, achievements, and even potent endgame gear. Notably, these rewards are account-bound, allowing players to share them across their characters. Consequently, most players focus on leveling Archaeology on a single character.
This guide provides a comprehensive overview of the Archaeology profession, empowering players to channel their inner Indiana Jones in the vast world of World of Warcraft!
Archaeology Rewards
Archaeology presents a diverse array of unique vanity items alongside several coveted pieces of gear with a remarkable item level of 359. These treasures hold immense allure for players seeking to enhance their characters, as they surpass most gear outside of Heroic raid loot. Notably, all these items are account-bound, granting players the flexibility to mail them to their alternate characters.
Given the exceptional quality of the equipment obtained through Archaeology, many players consider acquiring these items an integral part of their endgame gearing strategy.
Achievements
There are also many achievements you can earn through Archaeology, including three which award unique titles.
Here’s a complete list:
| Achievement | Description | Reward |
|---|---|---|
| Journeyman in Archaeology | Obtain 150 skill points in archaeology. |  10 |
| Expert in Archaeology | Obtain 225 skill points in archaeology. | 10 |
| Artisan Archaeologist | Obtain 300 skill points in archaeology. | 10 |
| Master Archaeologist | Obtain 375 skill points in archaeology. | 10 |
| Grand Master Archaeologist | Obtain 450 skill points in archaeology. | 10 |
| Illustrious Grand Master Archaeologist | Obtain 525 skill points in archaeology. | 10 |
| Digger | Find 10 unique common artifacts. | 10 |
| Diggerer | Find 50 common artifacts. | 10 |
| Diggerest | Find 100 common artifacts. | 10 |
| I Had It in My Hand | Find a rare artifact. | 10 Title: Assistant Professor |
| What was Briefly Yours is Now Mine | Find 10 rare artifacts. | 10 Title: Associate Professor |
| It Belongs in a Museum! | Find 20 rare artifacts | 10 Title: Professor |
| It’s Always in the Last Place You Look | Recover archaeology artifacts from each of the 9 races. | 10 |
| Seven Scepters | Recover the following scepters from the various races of Azeroth. | 10 |
| Tragedy in Three Acts | Recover the night elf artifacts that tell the fateful story of Pyramond and Theleste. | 10 |
| Blue Streak | Discover who slew the dread wyrm Kaldrigos by collecting artifacts. | 10 |
| The Harder they Fall | Discover how orc Chieftan Hargal was killed by collecting artifacts. | 10 |
| Kings Under the Mountain | Discover the artifacts of the Dark Iron thanes. | 10 |
| The Boy Who Would be King | Recover the tol’vir artifacts that tell of the rise and fall of Emperor Ninjter. | 10 |
Learning Archaeology
In contrast to other professions accessible from level 1, Archaeology requires characters to reach level 20 before they can embark on their archaeological endeavors. However, similar to other professions introduced in Cataclysm, players can train all skill levels of Archaeology at any Archaeology trainer. Progression within the profession occurs in increments of 75 levels, requiring players to train the next tier of the skill to continue advancing further.
Archaeology Trainers
There is an Archaeology trainer in every major city. Here are their names and locations:
- Boduro the Seeker – Shattrath, Lower City (62.5, 70.2)
- Dariness the Learned – Dalaran, The Legerdemain Lounge (48.5, 38.6)
Leveling Archaeology
There are three ways that you can gain skill points in Archaeology:
- 1 point when you dig up a fragment
- 5 points when you solve a common artifact
- 15 points when you solve a rare artifact
The Dwarf Racial
In Cataclysm, Dwarves gain a new racial ability called Explorer, which enhances their proficiency in Archaeology. This racial trait makes Dwarves the optimal choice for delving into the world of Archaeology, as it increases the number of fragments obtainable per dig and speeds up the surveying process.
Digging for Fragments
To use your Archaeology skill, you’ll first need to locate a digsite. Then you’ll be able to use your Survey ability to dig for artifacts. We’ll walk you through the process below.
Digsites
To embark on your archaeological expeditions, you must first find a digsite. Each continent hosts four digsites, and after completing one, a new location will emerge on your map. These digsites are exclusive to you, ensuring that others cannot excavate artifacts from your designated sites, though you may encounter fellow adventurers with digsites in the same vicinity.
Identified by a shovel icon on the continent map, digsites are delineated by a distinct red outline when zoomed in on the zone.
Initially, your archaeological ventures will be limited to digsites in Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor. Upon reaching skill level 300 in Archaeology, you’ll gain access to digsites in Outland. Achieving level 375 extends your exploration to Northrend, while hitting level 450 allows you to unearth artifacts in endgame Cataclysm zones.
Digsites are fixed in specific locations, meaning you may encounter the same site multiple times during your travels. Notably, digsites won’t appear in starting zones, as the characters there are too low level to engage in Archaeology.
Surveying
Upon reaching a digsite, activate your Survey ability, located in the Professions tab of your Spellbook. Remember, Surveying is only possible within the confines of a digsite, delineated by the red outline on your map.
Upon activating Survey, you’ll notice a telescope-like object appearing, indicating the general direction of the nearest artifact fragment. The attached light serves as a gauge for the distance to the fragment. Though distances may vary depending on the digsite’s size, here are some rough estimations:
- Red: 80 yards or more
- Yellow: 40-80 yards
- Green: Under 40 yards
Proceed in the direction indicated by the telescope, aligning yourself with the wider end’s orientation, and Survey once more. It may take several attempts before pinpointing the exact location. Remember, the direction indicated by the telescope forms more of a cone than a precise line. Occasionally, you might stumble upon the fragment without the telescope appearing, especially if you’re fortunate enough to find multiple fragments in the same spot.
Once you’re in close proximity to the fragment, Survey will reveal it on the ground, replacing the telescope. Simply click on the fragment to collect it.
The appearance of the fragment may differ depending on the digsite’s type, but it’s typically surrounded by noticeable golden sparkles. If you’re struggling to spot it, check your minimap where it should appear as a yellow dot. Act swiftly to collect it as fragments can vanish if left unclaimed, forcing you to restart the process. Upon looting, you’ll receive multiple fragments and potentially a keystone.
After gathering from three fragments, the current digsite vanishes from your map, replaced by a new one on the same continent.
Crafting Artifacts
Surveying will net you fragments and keystones, which you can use to create artifacts. We’ll explain each of these items below.
Fragments
Fragments serve as the foundational item for assembling artifacts, with their type dependent on the digsite’s location. As each continent hosts only four active digsites at a time, obtaining specific fragments often entails excavating unrelated sites until the desired fragments appear. You can amass up to 200 fragments of each type.
Below is a table detailing the various fragment types, the skill level needed to excavate them, and the locations where they can be found. Location names are ranked by the frequency of the fragment type in each area, with the top location being the most favorable for finding it.
| Fragment Type | Level | Locations |
|---|---|---|
| Dwarf | 1 | Eastern Kingdoms Kalimdor |
| Fossil | 1 | Eastern Kingdoms Kalimdor |
| Night Elf | 1 | Kalimdor Northrend Eastern Kingdoms |
| Troll | 1 | Eastern Kingdoms Northrend Kalimdor |
| Draenei | 300 | Outland |
| Orc | 300 | Outland |
| Nerubian | 375 | Northrend Eastern Kingdoms |
| Vrykul | 375 | Northrend |
| Tol’vir | 450 | Kalimdor – Uldum only |
Keystones
Excavating fragments may occasionally yield keystones, tradeable items purchasable on the Auction House. These keystones serve two main functions: providing buffs in endgame dungeons (refer to the Archaeology Dungeon Quests section below) or aiding in artifact completion.
Each keystone is equivalent to 12 fragments of the same type. However, only 1-3 keystones can be used per artifact, necessitating the collection of fragments alongside keystones. Notably, there is no keystone available for fossils. Below is a list of all keystones and their corresponding artifact types.
| Keystone | Type |
|---|---|
| Draenei Tome | Draenei |
| Dwarf Rune Stone | Dwarf |
| Highborne Scroll | Night Elf |
| Nerubian Obelisk | Nerubian |
| Orc Blood Text | Orc |
| Tol’vir Hieroglyphic | Tol’vir |
| Troll Tablet | Troll |
| Vrykul Rune Stick | Vrykul |
Artifacts
Opening your Archaeology profession window and clicking on the blue bookmark on the right reveals your ongoing research projects. Each time you obtain a new fragment type, a new project begins, remaining until completion. However, you cannot select which artifact to work on; the game randomly chooses one for you. Consequently, if you’re seeking a specific reward, you might need to complete numerous artifacts of the same type before obtaining your desired project.
When you click on a race, its current research project unfolds. Typically, these yield common artifacts, marked with gray or white quality, suitable for vending and earning gold. Occasionally, you’ll uncover a rare artifact, rewarding valuable items like toys, pets, mounts, or endgame gear. A complete list of these rare artifacts is available in the Archaeology Rewards section at the top of this guide.
A progress bar displays the number of fragments you’ve amassed for that type. Beneath it, hexagonal sockets await keystones of the same type. Most common artifacts offer one keystone slot, while rare artifacts feature three. Each keystone inserted adds the equivalent of 12 fragments to your progress bar.
Once the progress bar reaches full capacity, the Solve button transitions to a vivid red hue, signaling that it’s ready for action. Clicking it initiates the creation process, crafting the item while retaining any leftover fragments. Simultaneously, a new research project materializes, and the newly minted item finds its way into your inventory.
To peruse your collection of completed artifacts, simply click on the purple bookmark nestled within the Archaeology window.
Archaeology Dungeon Quests
For characters who have honed their Archaeology skills to a proficiency of at least 425, a new avenue of adventure unfolds within select high-level dungeons. These dungeons host repeatable quests that beckon you to offer up a specific keystone in exchange for a distinctive party-wide boon throughout the dungeon’s duration.
Outlined below are the various buffs alongside their corresponding quests and requisite keystones.