How to get pottery shards in Minecraft

Pottery shards in Minecraft.


Pottery shards in Minecraft.

Knowing how to get pottery shards in Minecraft will help you craft some of the best decorative items. Also known as Decorated Pots, they come in different variations. If you want to make a certain pot, then you have to get the right shards.

These shards look like pieces of ancient pots, and you can find them in Minecraft by exploring some ruins. Prepare for a journey to the desert, as there is no better place to find traces of ancient civilisations.

If you are looking for more Minecraft content, then be sure to check out our guide on how to find diamonds in the game. Also, we've got a list of the best Minecraft mods, as well as a look at how to use armor trims.

How to get pottery shards in Minecraft

Pottery shards are pieces of old utensils that you can find by exploring Desert Temples and Desert Wells. So, head to the sandy areas and search for structures. Once you find one, you will need to look closely at the sand.

The new Minecraft update introduces Suspicious Sand, and you can excavate many interesting items from these blocks. Here is the picture of the Suspicious Sand blocks and the standard Sand blocks:

Suspicious Sand

Suspicious Sand in Minecraft.
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Normal Sand

Normal Sand in Minecraft.
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Look at these pictures closely, and remember the difference between both types of sand. You'll need to be able to tell one from another!

How to excavate pottery shards from Suspicious Sand in Minecraft

You’ve found a couple of Suspicious Sand blocks, you may think that breaking them will be enough to get the treasure. However, the excavation process is more complicated and interesting!

You will have to get the Brush and use it to clear the sand. This mechanic may remind you of archaeologists who use their instruments to brush ancient artefacts from dust and sand.

When you brush a block of Suspicious Sand, you'll excavate a random item from it. Pottery shards can be obtained this way, and there are four of them in total. Here is the list of these items:

  • Prize Pottery Shard
  • Arms Up Pottery Shard
  • Skull Pottery Shard
  • Archer Pottery Shard

Each of these shard types has a unique picture on them. You can customise the appearance of your pots by combining different pictures.

Desert Temples and Wells are rare structures, so you’ll have to prepare for a long journey if you want to find enough pottery shards of each type. However, Minecraft is a game about adventures, and retrieving pieces of ancient civilisations sounds like a good motivation to explore the world.

If you are looking for more information about this game, make sure to check our guide on how to change language in Minecraft. We've also got a look at the new Minecraft Sniffer mob.

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