Cataclysm Classic provides players the opportunity to relive the divisive expansion that changed World of Warcraft forever. In addition to all the class changes, the revamp of Azeroth, and all the new areas added, a new profession called Archaeology was added as well.
Like Fishing and First Aid, Archaeology is a secondary profession that can be picked up regardless of what other professions you have learned. While it is mostly just a way to pass some time, Archaeology does have some unique rewards that make it worth leveling. Here is everything there is to know about Archaeology in World of Warcraft: Cataclysm Classic.
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How to Learn Archaeology
In order to learn Archaeology, you must locate an Archaeology Trainer in one of the major cities. Every city has one, including Shattrath and Dalaran in Outland and Northrend respectively. Once you've learned Archaeology, you will gain access to the Archaeology menu along with the Survey spell. In addition, four dig sites will appear in the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor. As you level up your Archaeology skill, you will eventually start to get dig sites in Outland, Northrend, and the level 80–85 Cataclysm zones.
How Does Archaeology Work?
While you are in the boundary of a dig site, you will be able to use the Survey ability. After casting it, a telescope on a tripod will appear with a light next to it. The telescope will point in the direction where archaeology fragments can be found. Once Survey is off cooldown, you can use it again to see how close you are. When it is red, the archaeology fragments are far away.
As you get closer, the light will change to yellow. Then, once the light turns green and blinks repeatedly, you are very close to the artifact fragments. Keep going in the direction the telescope points in; eventually, the archaeology fragments will appear, and you will be able to loot them. There are only three sets of archaeology fragments per dig site, and once they've all been looted the dig site will disappear. At this point, another one will spawn somewhere on the continent you are currently on.
Once you have gathered enough archaeology fragments for a specific race, you will be able to solve it. For example, if your current artifact for Night Elves is the Scandalous Silk Nightgown, you must acquire 30 Night Elf Archaeology Fragments to solve it. The amount of fragments needed per artifact will vary. Rare artifacts will take 100 or more fragments to solve.
Early on, Archaeology will level up every time you find fragments. However, after reaching 50 skill points or higher, the only way to level up Archaeology is through gathering enough archaeology fragments to solve an Artifact. Common artifacts will grant you five skill points while rare artifacts will grant you 15 skill points.
What Rewards Can You Get From Archaeology?
The majority of the artifacts you earn from Archaeology are all gray quality, and can be sold to a vendor. While most of them sell for pocket change at best, there are a couple that will sell for more than one gold. The main appeal of Archaeology are the rare artifacts. These vary from toys like Kaldorei Wind Chimes to mounts like the Fossilized Raptor and the Ultramarine Qiraji Battle Tank. Then there are several 359 weapons that can be obtained through Archaeology.
The most notorious example of this is Zin'rokh, Destroyer of Worlds. This two-hand weapon is best-in-slot for many classes, especially Death Knights using two-hand weapons. Unfortunately, this weapon has a very small chance of appearing as your next troll Archaeology project, so it could take a very long time to get that weapon or any of the 359 gear that you can get from Archaeology.
