Can Minecraft teach Archaeology?
Archaeology is already in Minecraft! In 2023, the Trails & Tales update came out, introducing the mechanic of archaeology. Suspicious gravel or sand can now generate inside ocean ruins or trail ruins (new structures!). The player must brush the suspicious blocks in order to excavate and discover the ruins. Throughout the sifting process, the player is rewarded with somewhat rare loot.
Although I’m happy to see archaeology as a mechanic in Minecraft, I don’t think the experience of sifting is fun or engaging for the average player. And I think this mechanic was doomed from the start. Because the most important part of archaeology is context, or understanding a piece of information in its greater picture of history or lore. In the case of Minecraft, there is no lore. Therefore the archaeological ‘excavation’ feels tedious while not rewarding the player enough for their curiosity. In the case of the trail ruins, after fully excavating them, you can make a few interpretations of what the ruins were. But it won’t mean a lot in the world of Minecraft. It’s there just to be there.
Since 2018 (update Aquatic), Mojang has attempted to raise awareness about the significance of Earth’s ecosystems. They achieve this by designing the game around environmentalist themes. Some examples include introducing endangered species (e.g. polar bears) or not adding real-life mobs from which you can gain loot by killing (e.g. turtles, you gain scutes by taking care of turtles until they grow up, not by killing them). While I admire this design concept, there is room for criticism. Every new feature feels like a half-baked idea. And, to me, the mechanics of archaeology fit into the same critique. It was not done to its full potential
However, archaeologists have made the best out of this mechanic. Some even see it as a great opportunity to create their own Minecraft lore. YouTubers with a background in field excavation, such as Daskalos, Haraldr Halfdan or ArchaeoPlays, excavate Trail Ruins using proper archaeological methodology with the goal of teaching and reaching audiences who are unfamiliar with archaeological practices.
And I think this is where Minecraft excels. It can be easily altered to the communities’ wishes. Archaeologists can still use Minecraft as an educational medium through building! Ancient places can now be reconstructed and further imagined while still being easily customised and sharable between players.
The two most popular content forms of Minecraft are Let’s Plays or SMPs (Survival MultiPlayer) because it’s fun to play/watch the evolution of a Minecraft world and/or see funny interactions between YouTubers. There are many SMPs, but I was amazed to find out that even archaeologists have made their own SMP (ArchaeoSMP)!
Unfortunately, the ArchaeoSMP, which was recorded by YouTubers with an archaeology background, is not widely known. But a great contrasting example is Hermitcraft, which is now one of the Minecraft SMPs with a large fanbase behind it. The purpose of Hermitcraft is not to teach archaeology in a fun way, but for each YouTuber to create their own project. As you can imagine, they are paid to build in Minecraft, so they are talented builders. So, while Hermitcraft does not teach as much archaeological knowledge as ArchaeoSMP, it may be enough to spark some viewers’ interest in archaeology and inspire them to learn more.
HermitCraft is one of the longest-running and most popular Minecraft SMPs, now in its 11th season. With each of the 25 Hermits recording their own perspective, it’s easy to jump in at any point and follow whichever creators or projects interest you most. Each Hermit commits to a major project for the season: some engineer complex minigames, while others focus on building bases with elaborate lore. I’ve been watching since Season 6 (2020), and it has quickly become a comfort series for me. With Season 11 just beginning, we’re only now discovering everyone’s plans, and I’m especially excited for Keralis’ and ZombieCleo’s bases.
Both of them are working on archaeological-themed projects! Keralis is building a fictional Roman Villa and ZombieCleo a Mayan-themed base. Their projects are still at the beginning, as the season is in its early stages. ZombieCleo has yet to begin construction on her Mayan-inspired base, having just built an archaeological tent up until now. On the other hand, Keralis has progressed more so far. Even if he is not reconstructing a real Roman town, he draws full inspiration from Roman architecture, which so far I believe to be realistic.
As an archaeology student who’s been watching HermitCraft for 4 seasons, I’m very excited to see how both of their bases progress. I believe that it can be a great opportunity to spark an interest or learn a few tidbits of information about Romans, Mayans and archaeology for a wider audience. I don’t think it matters that their builds are not fully accurate. I see it as a win-win. Viewers are not expecting an accurate reconstruction, so it’s just bringing more awareness to archaeology!
My List of Recommendations : )
Yes, I think Minecraft can be a useful tool for teaching archaeology. Not necessarily through its game mechanics, but due to its popularity and sandbox nature. But it can be a great communication tool for other subjects as well! These are a few YouTube channels I recently discovered. Each YouTuber puts in a lot of effort and passion, and you might learn something new from them. I strongly recommend checking them out!
- Archaeology
- Daskalos
- Short Video Series: A Real Archaeologist Excavates a Trail Ruin in Minecraft
- Haraldr_Halfdan
- ArchaeoPlays
- Daskalos
- Geology
- Environmental Sciences
Featured Blog Post Image: Screenshot taken by me, of a Reconstruction of Yeavering (Anglo-Saxon Palace Complex of King Edwin; 616 – 633 CE) built by Dwarfsosi.
