Summary
One of the most exciting new additions to theCataclysmexpansion inWorld of Warcraftis the profession of Archaeology. What the player can find and where is connected to their level, and the artifacts can range from common keepsakes to rare toys and even epic mounts.
There are six levels of Archaeology, starting with Journeyman at the first and earliest levels, then progressing through Expert, Artisan, Master, Grand Master, andfinally Illustrious Grand Master. These are also connected to several Achievements that were introduced for theCataclysmexpansion.
9Fossil
Journeyman
It makes sense that some of the first relics available to discover are Fossils because they are also the oldest ones in Azeroth. At this point, finding and assembling pieces of relics also helps gain points to progress through the levels.
There are several rare and epic Fossil items that players can dig up, including a petand an epic mount, even at a low level. The Fossilized Raptor is an epic mount that any character on one’s account can use provided they have at least the Journeyman Riding skill.
8Troll
When players dig up Troll artifacts, they tell the story of Azeroth’s most ancient history. Trolls have been here for the longest, at least that’s what they’ll tell you, and legend has it that Night Elves started as Trolls but evolved because of their contact with the Well of Eternity.
Troll Archaeology sites might be the most numerous in Azeroth because of their long history that extends well into Azeroth’s earliest years. There are numerous dig sites in Kalimdor, the Eastern Kingdoms, and Northrend.
7Night Elf
Night Elves have plenty of relics to discover partly because of their long history, steeped in magic and Azerothian lore. Some of these relics are closely connected to Queen Azshara and tell the story of her dramatic rise and downfall.
Night Elf dig sites are almost as numerous as the Trolls since both races have been in Azeroth for the longest compared to others. Night Elf artifactscan also be found in Northrend, but to a lesser extent than Trolls, and only in the vicinity of Dalaran.
6Dwarf
The Dwarf racial ability is called Cataclysm Explorer, and it gives a nod to the race that was into Archaeology before this expansion made it cool. Dwarf characters can survey faster and dig up more pieces per dig, and they even have the advantage of starting in an area that’s rich in Dwarf history.
The central part of the Eastern Kingdoms is where the Alliance Humans and Dwarfs have their starting areas and this is also where most of the Dwarf Archaeology sites can be found. There are only one or two in Kalimdor, both located in the Southern Barrens.
5Draenei
Artisan
The race that was introduced in the Outland also requires the character to have at least an Artisan level in Archaeology. Even though the Draenei have a presence in Azeroth on a small island off the eastern coast of Kailmdor, their dig sites are located exclusively in Outland.
The Draenei are unique in the sense that players can only dig up their relics on a single continent, but this is offset by these sitesbeing more plentiful thanothers. Draenei dig sites appear in virtually every zone in Outland, which is comparable to that of another noted emigrant race, the Orcs.
4Orc
It seems counter-logical that Orc artifacts are only available in Outland, but it’s a reminder of the history that swirls around the Dark Portal and the evil magic of Gul’dan. The Orcs, like the Draenei, have a much longer history in Outland and only arrived in Azeroth fairly recently.
Unlike the Draenei, on the other hand, Orc dig sites aren’t quite as numerous and tend to be grouped in places like Nagrand and Terrokar Forest. They recall the old stories of Orc heroism along with their aggressive expansion into Azeroth, finally put in check more recently by the benevolent ruler Thrall.
3Nerubian
Master
Players who are familiar with the Ahn’Qiraj raid lore will recognize this race as some of history’s greatest monsters, allied with the Old Gods and their dark magic. Although the notorious bugs have their more infamous holdings in places like Silithus and the Eastern Plaguelands, there are also some Nerubian dig sites in Northrend, and only Master Archaeologists have the skill to find them.
Dig sites in Silithus are more often Night Elf than Nerubian, and the dig site is in the far corner of the Eastern Plaguelands. The bugs are aggressive when they are present, so be prepared to be on the defense during the dig.
2Vrykul
Not only exclusive to Northrend but also only found in the select zones of Icecrown and Howling Fjord. This means it takes a bit more effort to discover all of the Vrykul’s secrets, and many of them are connected to early human history as well.
Virtually every dig site is a Vrykul village or the remains of one, so this is when players will have to contend with higher-level enemies to survey a site. The upside of this is that most of them are on the smaller side and easier to thoroughly explore.
1Tol’Vir
Illustrious Grand Master
Uldum is one of the new zones ofCataclysm, and it’s among the highest level and the most interesting, thanks partly to a questline involving Harrison Jones. This lone, windswept zone in the furthest southern reaches of Kalimdor is the only place to find the artifacts of the ancient Tol’vir, plus only those with the highest level of Archaeology can find these dig sites.
Players don’t need to have Archaeology maxed out to finish Harrison’s questline, which becomes available at level 83 if players follow the storyline from Deepholm, or 84 should they take the quest from the new bulletin board. Either way, finishing the questline is a nice way to find the locations where dig sites will appear eventually.
The recipe for the Vial of the Sands, which gives the playeran account-wide epic mountwhen opened, is only found in a canopic jar that players assemble from Tol’vir artifacts.
