Archaeology Archaeology is a secondary profession that was released in the expansion " " . Description . Upon learning the Archaeology secondary profession the player receives the ability . There are 12 fields of research players can explore , most relating to a race in the game : Draenei , Dwarf , Nerubian , Night Elf , Orc , Tol ' vir , Troll , Vrykul , Mogu , Pandaren , Mantid and non - race Fossil . Using the Survey skill players need to gather Archaeology Fragment s of one type ( e . g . ) from Archaeology Find s of the same type . Once enough fragments have been accumulated , they can then complete or solve a project in the current stage of this race ' s research and will receive an item upon doing so . While Archeology has no specific use as a Profession and is intended for the more casual gamers and players keen on exploring Azeroth , other worlds , and their lore , it grants experience points both for Fragments and completing the Artifacts . How archaeology works . As relayed by Ghostcrawler . . . Sites . Once Archaeology is trained , you can see digsites on your map ( not mini - map ) . There are always four dig sites per continent and sometimes two dig sites can appear in the same region . These will not change until you dig one out . You only find sites in zones of your level or lower . A level 25 character will have all 4 sites per continent in level 25 zones . This means that no dig sites will appear for that character in Outland or Northrend until he reaches a minimum level for the zones . Sites are race specific . You can usually guess the race by the location . Some race locations are only available on some continents . You need both a minimum character level and a minimum archaeology level to use some sites . Dig sites are player specific . There is no competition for dig sites . Fragments . Each digsite can be searched 6 times before it despawns and a new site spawns . To search a digsite , use the ability . The Survey tool will spawn and point in the approximate direction of the artifact . The Survey tool spawns beside you on the ground and looks like a telescope on a tripod . Walk in the direction that the telescope is pointing , and use Survey again . Repeat doing this until a lootable object appears . The telescope points roughly to the artifact , the closer you are , the more accurate the direction . Beside it is a rod with a light on the top . A red light means you are far away ( 80 + yards away ) , a yellow light means you are closer ( 40 - 80 yards ) , and a green light means you may be within 40 yards or so . A red light reading also has the worst accuracy - it is usually best to take several readings to determine the direction . When the green light begins blinking , you are usually within just a few steps of the artifact . When you discover your find , you ' ll get fragments specific to a particular race . Note that any race can hunt any other race ' s artifacts . You are not limited to just yours . There are two main strategies to surveying . You can attempt to triangulate by moving around the outer edge of a digsite . Other people , simply heading off in the direction indicated until they strike paydirt . When you have picked up your artifact , be sure to Survey again in that exact spot . Sometimes the artifact will spawn again in the same place . Fragment detection in Legion . Starting in Legion , when a character is very close to an artifact , a glow with a shovel handle will appear above their head . If they use the ability , the lootable object should appear nearby . Keystones . For each race in archaeology ( with the exception of Fossil ) keystones exist that can be randomly looted when searching for fragments . When completing an artifact , there may be a space at the bottom of the solve page where one or more keystones can be used to give + 12 fragments each to the artifact being completed . Any fragments that go over the amount needed to complete the current artifact will carry over to the next puzzle . They are : Night Elf : Highborn Scroll , Troll : Troll Tablet , Dwarf : Dwarven Rune Stone , Orc : Orc Blood Text , Draenei : Draenei Tome , Vyrkul : Vyrkul Rune Stick , Nerubian : Nerubian Obelisk , Tol ' vir : Tol ' vir Hieroglyphic It is worth noting that keystones are not bind - on - pickup , and as such can be sold on the auction house or passed to other characters if you do not need them for your own archaeology . They can also be used at the entrance to Cataclysm dungeons to provide a buff to the entire party , though each dungeon requires a specific runestone for the buff to be activated and it is destroyed in the process . Artifacts . When you get a new fragment , you ' ll start a research project . You can only work on one artifact per race at a time . When you have enough fragments , click codice _ 1 to complete that artifact . You won ' t waste excess fragments , they will just start the next project . Most artifacts are common . These give a bit of lore or flavor text and an item you can sell for a small profit . You ' ll still have the description in your journal regardless of what you do with the physical item , so it ' s ok to sell them . You can estimate the value of the artifact by the number of fragments required to finish it . You will only be able to work on one artifact for a given race at a time . Once one artifact for a given race is completed , the next one will appear in your journal and you cannot continue until you complete it . Some artifacts are rare , requiring many more fragments to complete than common artifacts , and make a blue or purple item . Many of these are toys , or for flavor , but some are actual weapons and armor . Weapons and armor are bound to account , but will not scale like heirloom s do . If you want to see how many artifacts you have solved for the individual races , use the following script in a macro If you want to see how many artifacts you have solved in total , use the following script in a macro Proficiency . Unlike most professions , proficiencies don ' t mean that much in that they generally only restrict investigating specific dig sites . Levels . Archaeology has set skill levels at which players can solve artifacts from different cultures . Fragments collected before players reach the appropriate level are hidden from view until they have reached the appropriate level for that culture " and have found more fragments from that culture " , at which time the previously collected fragments for that culture are made available . The following are the current levels : There are 2 ways to level Archaeology : Picking up the various artifact pieces will grant one skill up . Formerly , this only worked until a skill of 50 , but now digging up a piece always grants a skill point . Location does not matter - post - 300 skill , digging in Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms will still grant skill - ups . Solving Solving for common items grants 5 levels of the Archaeology skill , while solving rare items grants 15 skill points . Dig sites . Archaeology dig sites can be found on all four continents . There are four dig sites on each continent available at any one time . Dig sites are available based on player skill . However , unlike other gathering professions , there is no competition between players . Upon reaching a dig site , players will be able to collect " their " three finds before the dig site dries up and a new one is made available . Even if other players are searching at the site , the finds are individual to each player . At the site / field use your survey skill ( found in your spellbook on the Professions tab ) . Using this will spawn the Archaeology Tripod that points in the direction of the artifact / fossil you are looking for . It has a little light that will show the distance to said artifact / fossil . A slow , flashing , red light indicates a large distance up to the length of the entire dig site . A faster , blinking , yellow light seems to indicate approximately 100 - 300 yards , and a rapid , flashing , green light seems to indicate less than 100 yards . Red is 80 + yards , yellow 40 - 79 yards , Green , Less than 40 yards . Rewards . Archaeology was originally intended to allow advancement in the now - scrapped Path of the Titans system , and would have reportedly awarded players with Ancient Glyph slots and recipes . At present , known rewards include various non - combat items as well as the occasional loot . Players will be able to piece together skeletal fragments to create a skeletal raptor mount . Players can also read ancient runes found in ruins and dungeons to give buffs to themselves and others . It also contributes to gaining the achievement . Media . Videos . Introduction to Archaeology : < br > < br > < br >