WoW: Cataclysm Classic Archaeology profession guide and how to level

Among the many professions in World of Warcraft, Archaeology is anomalous. Centered on items like pets, toys and mounts, it offers few tangible benefits, with the emphasis instead placed on using it as a fun additional pursuit.

Despite being a secondary profession, there is a lot to get stuck into for those willing to give it the time and plenty of rewards to accumulate along the way. Leveling Archaeology does require a significant effort and committing to a journey that takes players throughout Azeroth.

In Cataclysm Classic, Archaeology can be leveled from 1 to 525 and requires the player to head to dig sites scattered across the game’s major continents. From there, it’s a case of tracking down Fragments and Artifacts in order to level up the profession.

With that, here’s our full guide on how to level Archaeology efficiently and what’s on offer to dedicated practitioners.

How to learn Archaeology in Cataclysm Classic & profession trainer locations

In the first instance, players will need to speak to one of the many Archaeology profession trainers throughout Azeroth. The full list of trainers for each faction and their locations is as follows:

Alliance

Location	Name
Borean Tundra	Falda Fardelve
Dalaran	Dariness the Learned
Darkshore	Stephanie Krutsick
Darnassus	Hammon the Jaded
Dustwallow Marsh	Faena Woolybush
The Exodar	Diya
Hellfire Peninsula	Gerdra Fardelve
Howling Fjord	Hugen Goldwise
Ironforge	Doktor Professor Ironpants
Shattrath City	Boduro the Seeker
Stormwind City	Harrison Jones

Horde

Location	Name
Borean Tundra	Lindarel
Dalaran	Dariness the Learned
Hellfire Peninsula	Sirabel
Howling Fjord	Ian Thomas Wall
Orgrimmar	Belloc Brightblade
Shattrath City	Boduro the Seeker
Silvermoon City	Elynara
Thunder Bluff	Otoh Greyhide
Undercity	Adam Hossack

Using dig sites and surveying for fossils

Throughout your Archaeology leveling journey, there is a fairly simple rotation to follow when leveling up. This involves heading to dig sites (which can be toggled to appear on the map) and searching for fossils.

To do this, head to the professions tab and click Survey. Once you do, an eyeglass will appear, pointing in a certain direction alongside a light. You will need to head in the direction the eyeglass is pointing, while the distance away is dictated by the light.

If it’s red, there is still a significant distance between you and the fossil, yellow means it is relatively nearby and green is within 35 yards. Once you click Survey again while standing very near the fossil, it will appear on the ground for the player to interact with.

Collect the items from the dirt and check the Archaeology profession tab. Within that, the artifact that you are working towards will be displayed alongside the number of fragments required. Once you have reached the amount needed, simply click the solve button, and you will be granted the reward.

Each race has different artifacts associated with it. The player has no control over which artifact they are working towards, so you may farm the same thing multiple times before you are able to find specific items for each race.

Each dig site can be looted three times before it disappears and reappears somewhere else on the map. There are always four dig sites per continent in total, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to reach one.

Dig site races and level requirement

The product of your digging endeavors is dependent on the location. As is to be expected, different continents have different artifacts depending on who has lived there. Additionally, continents from later expansions require a higher base Archaeology skill to pursue. The full breakdown is as follows:

Zone Name	Artifact Type/Race	Minimum Skill
Kalimdor & Eastern Kingdoms	Troll, Fossil, Night Elf & Dwarf	1
Outland	Orc & Draenei	300
Northrend	Nerubian & Vrykul	375
Uldum	Tol’vir	450

Between Level 1-50, skill points can be gained from surveying sites, but beyond that point, it’s only possible to level up by solving artifacts. Normal solves reward five points while Rare solves reward 15. At certain intervals, it is also important to visit a trainer to upgrade your proficiency. This should be done as follows:

• Level 50 – Journeyman
• Level 125 – Expert
• Level 200 – Artisan
• Level 275 – Master
• Level 350 – Grand Master
• Level 425 – Illustrious Grand Master

Archaeology rewards

Archaeology unlocks access to exclusive rewards from cosmetics to genuinely useful gear. All of the armor and weapons drop at 359 ilvl, making it highly competitive, even during endgame gearing. The full list of rewards available to those pursuing the profession is as follows:

Item Name	Fragments Required	Skill Level Required
Ancient Amber	100 Fossil Archaeology Fragment	–
Arrival of the Naaru	124 Draenei Archaeology Fragment	300
Blessing of the Old God	140 Nerubian Archaeology Fragment	375
Bones of Transformation	150 Night Elf Archaeology Fragment	450
Chalice of the Mountain Kings	100 Dwarf Archaeology Fragment	150
Clockwork Gnome	100 Dwarf Archaeology Fragment	225
Crawling Claw	150 Tol’vir Archaeology Fragment	–
Druid and Priest Statue Set	100 Night Elf Archaeology Fragment	150
Extinct Turtle Shell	150 Fossil Archaeology Fragment	450
Fossilized Hatchling	100 Fossil Archaeology Fragment	75
Fossilized Raptor	100 Fossil Archaeology Fragment	150
Haunted War Drum	100 Troll Archaeology Fragment	–
Headdress of the First Shaman	130 Orc Archaeology Fragment	300
Highborne Soul Mirror	100 Night Elf Archaeology Fragment	150
The Innkeeper’s Daughter	150 Dwarf Archaeology Fragment	150
Kaldorei Wind Chimes	100 Night Elf Archaeology Fragment	225
The Last Relic of Argus	130 Draenei Archaeology Fragment	300
Nifflevar Bearded Axe	130 Vrykul Archaeology Fragment	375
Pendant of the Scarab Storm	150 Tol’vir Archaeology Fragment	450
Pterrordax Hatchling	120 Fossil Archaeology Fragment	525
Puzzle Box of Yogg-Saron	140 Nerubian Archaeology Fragment	375
Queen Azshara’s Dressing Gown	100 Night Elf Archaeology Fragment	225
Ring of the Boy Emperor	150 Tol’vir Archaeology Fragment	450
Scepter of Azj’Aqir	150 Tol’vir Archaeology Fragment	450
Scimitar of the Sirocco	150 Tol’vir Archaeology Fragment	450
Staff of Ammunae	150 Tol’vir Archaeology Fragment	450
Staff of Sorcerer-Thane Thaurissan	150 Dwarf Archaeology Fragment	450
Tyrande’s Favorite Doll	150 Night Elf Archaeology Fragment	450
Voodoo Figurine	100 Troll Archaeology Fragment	–
Vrykul Drinking Horn	100 Vrykul Archaeology Fragment	–
Wisp Amulet	150 Night Elf Archaeology Fragment	450
Zin’rokh, Destroyer of Worlds	150 Troll Archaeology Fragment	450