The offered content withinMinecraftwas recently expanded once again thanks to the June 7 Trails and Tales update. Otherwise known as the 1.20 update, most of its involved content has the purpose of expanding the lore and history of the game’s universe while greatly aiding exploration and discovery.
One of the big ways in whichMinecraft1.20 does this is via the implementation of new game mechanics such as archeology. Many other 1.20 features are in aid of this new mechanic, such as Trail Ruins. These new structures have a wide range of uses, and players may be curious as to the best way of approaching them and getting the most use out of them.

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Minecraft 1.20 and Archeology
Archeology is a feature inMinecraftthat gives another layer of added purpose to both mining and exploration, which is obviously the IP’s bread and butter and may always have room to improve. Originally intended for release in the Caves and Cliffs update, fans have been waiting for archeology for some time.
Thanks to archeology, players may come across “suspicious” blocks during exploration which may house a wide range of valuable objects. Suspicious blocks come in the form of sand and gravel and need to interact with the brand-newbrush tool inMinecraftto expose their hidden treasures.

These treasures can range from more run-of-the-mill items to rare loot such as relic music discs, sniffer eggs, and emeralds. Suspicious blocks are usually tied to a range of new structures withinMinecraft, hinting at a deep and mysterious past for the in-game world. Of these new structures, Trail Ruins take center stage and are an integral part of any player interested in obtaining some rare archeological findings.
Minecraft 1.20’s Trail Ruins Structure
Trail Ruins structures inMinecrafttake the form of ancient settlement remnants. Players will usually be able to see the outlines of lost buildings around Trail Ruins, resembling villages that have fallen in time. Most of Trail Ruins may be underground, forcing players to excavate the area quite extensively.
Trail Ruins can be found in a wide range of biomes, excluding desert biomes which are now home to upgraded desert temples where similar archeological finds may be found. Around Trail Ruins, players will find suspicious gravel, with these blocks revealing treasure when brushed. These suspicious blocks can also reveal things like pottery shards which can be combined to create bold decorative pots. As well as this, these blocks are a prime source of smithing templates, allowing the player to apply a variety ofarmor trims to their most valued armor sets.
The ancient nature of Trail Ruins speaks to the clear direction that Mojang is taking withMinecraft’s lore. There is a clear direction with new game implements to point towards a mysterious history in-game, which is clear in the1.20 addition of the once-extinct Sniffer mobs. With Sniffer eggs being a possible find in Trail Ruins, a possible link is present between the structure and the ancient cultures ofMinecraft’s past.
WhileMinecraft’s Tales and Trails update boasts a wide range of new content, its Trail Ruins and upgraded Desert Temples should not be overlooked by any means. These structures essentially act as conduits for many of the update’s most alluring features such as armor trims and of course archeology. For players wanting to experience the most out ofMinecraft’slatest update, then thorough exploration of Temple Ruins structures is the perfect place to start.
Minecraftis available now on Mobile, PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
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