Custom Archeology
by michaelo
Custom Archeology lets server owners create their own dig sites, filling sand and gravel with items that players must brush out.
What it does
Players dig up suspicious sand and gravel blocks with a brush. Breaking a suspicious block without the brush drops the item normally. The mod lets a server owner define which items are buried in these blocks, so a dig site can hold custom loot.
Items are buried with a data pack, which offers a direct way to bury a player's own loot and create custom suspicious blocks. Only items that a player dropped onto the sand or gravel are buried, and items dropped by other sources are not affected. To bury, a player places sand or gravel on top of the items and waits briefly while the drop combines into a single stack, which then sits under the block.
Custom Archeology is published for Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt. Its files target 1.20 – 1.21.1 across seven release versions, and the latest file is 2.1+mod for 1.21.1. The server must run the mod, while players may leave it out. The mod is not open source and is released under All rights reserved.
Key features
Custom dig sites
Dig sites are built with the mod's own items, so a server can set up areas that hold chosen loot.
Brushing suspicious blocks
A suspicious sand or gravel block is uncovered with a brush, which reveals what it hides.
Burying player items
A player drops several copies of one item on the ground and places sand or gravel on them to bury the stack.
Data pack setup
Burial works through a data pack, which lets players set up their own suspicious blocks in three simple steps.
Gallery
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
Use cases
Who it’s for: Server owners and adventure map makers who want custom digging rewards. Players join servers that run the mod without needing it installed.
How it compares
Suspicious Rewards is open source no, released under All rights reserved, and is published for Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt across 1.20 – 1.21.8; the server must run it, while players may leave it out. Archeological is published for Forge and NeoForge only, across 1.20.1 – 1.21.1, and it is not open source; it has to run on both the client and the server. Bury Me Deep is released under the MIT License, is open source, and is published for Forge and NeoForge across 1.20.1 – 1.21.1, with both sides needing it.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custom Archeology | Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt | 1.20 – 1.21.1 | Server required, client optional | 2024-09-18 |
| Suspicious Rewards | Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt | 1.20 – 1.21.8 | Server required, client optional | 2025-09-02 |
| Archeological | Forge and NeoForge | 1.20.1 – 1.21.1 | Client and server | 2025-12-16 |
| Bury Me Deep | Forge and NeoForge | 1.20.1 – 1.21.1 | Client and server | 2026-01-20 |
Questions
Which loaders does Custom Archeology support?
Does the server need the mod installed?
Can the items in a dig site be changed?
In the catalog
Custom Archeology is one of 12,078 Decoration mods on ModsFinder, and one of 6,982 Decoration mods for Fabric. 32,366 mods support Minecraft 1.21.1.
More from michaelo
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What the author says
This data pack offers an intuitive way for players to bury their own loot and create their own suspicious sand/gravel by simply placing sand or gravel on top of items. 3 simple steps: 1. Throw your item (can be multiple of the same item) onto the ground. 2. Place a sand or gravel block onto the same block that it…
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/customarcheology
- Owner
- michaelo
- Published
- 2023-06-03
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2024-09-18
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15