Updated 24 October 2026. Every answer lists its source.
Trial chamber and archaeology questions, answered
Two newer parts of exploration: trial chambers from Tricky Trials (1.21) and archaeology from Trails and Tales (1.20).
How do you get a trial key?
Beat a trial spawner by defeating all the mobs it summons. It then drops loot, often including trial keys.
Source: Minecraft Wiki - Trial Key, Minecraft Wiki - Trial Spawner
What does a trial key open?
A trial key opens a normal vault in a trial chamber once per player. Ominous vaults need an ominous trial key.
How do you get an ominous trial key?
Drink an ominous bottle to get Trial Omen, then beat a trial spawner while it is ominous. Ominous spawners drop ominous trial keys.
Source: Minecraft Wiki - Ominous Trial Key, Minecraft Wiki - Trial Omen
What is an ominous trial?
With Trial Omen, trial spawners turn ominous: harder mobs, ominous item spawners and better rewards, such as heavy cores from ominous vaults.
Source: Minecraft Wiki - Trial Omen, Minecraft Wiki - Trial Spawner
What is the best loot in a trial chamber?
Ominous vaults can give a heavy core (for the mace), enchanted golden apples and enchanted books. Normal vaults give diamonds, gear and armor trims.
Source: Minecraft Wiki - Vault
Can you mine a trial spawner?
No. Trial spawners cannot be mined or picked up in Survival, even with Silk Touch.
Source: Minecraft Wiki - Trial Spawner
How long does a trial spawner take to reset?
After you beat it, a trial spawner goes on cooldown for 30 minutes before it can be activated again.
Source: Minecraft Wiki - Trial Spawner
What mobs are in trial chambers?
Breezes, zombies, husks, skeletons, strays, bogged, spiders, cave spiders, slimes and silverfish can come from trial spawners.
Source: Minecraft Wiki - Trial Spawner, Minecraft Wiki - Trial Chambers
What do breezes drop?
Breezes drop breeze rods, which craft wind charges and the mace.
Source: Minecraft Wiki - Breeze, Minecraft Wiki - Breeze Rod
How does archaeology work in Minecraft?
Find suspicious sand or gravel in ruins and temples, then hold use with a brush on it to slowly uncover an item.
Source: Minecraft Wiki - Archaeology
Where do you find suspicious sand?
In desert temples, desert wells, warm ocean ruins and trail ruins. Suspicious gravel is in cold ocean ruins and trail ruins.
Source: Minecraft Wiki - Suspicious Sand, Minecraft Wiki - Suspicious Gravel
What are pottery sherds for?
Pottery sherds add pictures to a decorated pot. Craft up to 4 sherds or bricks into a pot.
Source: Minecraft Wiki - Pottery Sherd, Minecraft Wiki - Decorated Pot
How many pottery sherds are there?
There are around two dozen pottery sherds, each with its own picture, found in different archaeology sites.
Source: Minecraft Wiki - Pottery Sherd
What happens if you break suspicious sand?
It breaks and drops nothing. You must brush it to get the item inside.
Source: Minecraft Wiki - Suspicious Sand
More questions
Every topic is on the FAQ hub. Questions about the ArtemisPvP server itself (commands, ranks, events) are on the server FAQ. Server IP: play.artemispvp.com.