How to Find and Excavate Fossils

Locating Fossil Sites

Fossils are buried underground in specific biomes and at certain depths. Look for fossil blocks that appear partially exposed in stone, dirt, or sand layers. They're most common in deserts, swamps, and badlands biomes, but can spawn in other terrain types. Strip mining or caving at mid-to-lower depths increases your chances of discovery.

Excavation Process

When you find a fossil block, use a Chisel or Brush to carefully extract it. Unlike regular mining, fossil extraction requires patience—repeatedly right-click the fossil block with your chisel to gradually reveal the artifact inside. Breaking the block with a pickaxe will destroy it completely, so always use the proper tools.

Once fully excavated, the fossil will drop as an item. Some fossils contain complete skeletons or valuable artifacts, while others may yield only bone fragments or pottery shards. Store your findings in a safe location before attempting to reconstruct or analyze them.