Draenor archaeology introduces three new branches. There’s a chance to dig up the Brittle Cartography Journal at a skill level of 1.

Things to note:

  • Four active dig sites will be up at any time.
  • If you find a certain (eg Ogre) branch locked but you know you have fragments of that type, you will need to go out to one of the branch sites and dig.
  • Each location may be dug up 9 times giving you between 5-9 fragments.
  • You can hold up to 250 fragments at any one time (changed in Patch 6.1 to avoid situations like this).
  • Common solves add 5 points
  • Rare solves add 10 points

Arakkoa

Keystone: Arakkoa Cipher

Rare solve: Beakbreaker of Terokk, Ancient Nest Guardian

Digsites include:

  • Shadowmoon Valley – The Shimmer Moor
  • Spires of Arak – Apexis Excavation, Bloodmane Pridelands, Bloodmane Valley, Lithic’s Rest, Pinchwhistle Point, Sethekk Hollow and Veil Zekk
  • Talador – Veil Shadar

Arakkoa Archaeology Fragment: Dreamcatcher, Burial Urn, Decree Scrolls, Solar Orb, Sundial, Talonpriest Mask, Outcast Dreamcatcher, Apexis Crystal, Apexis Hieroglyph, Apexis Scroll

Jumping For Arakkoa

A number of jumping puzzles serve as an extra source of fragments and ciphers. These are all located in the Spires of Arak. Just keep an eye on your minimap for any yellow dots. As a bonus, you can loot them from level 1 and will provide 1 skill point.

Misplaced Scrolls – Skettis, Terrace of Dawn
Relic of the Outcasts – Skettis, Veil Zekk, Veil Terrok, Shadowglade, Nest of the Ravenspeaker, Sethekk Hollow
Smuggled Apexis Artifacts – top of a tree, Murkbog
Sun-Touched Cache – two may be found in the Apexis Excavation site but only one is marked for Archaeology. Videos were added for the trickier locations.

Draenor Clan

Keystone: Draenor Clan Orator Cane

Rare Solve: Frostwolf Ghostpup, Headdress of the First Shaman

Digsites include:

  • Frostfire Ridge – Coldsnap Bluffs, Daggermaw Flows, Frostboar Drifts, Frostwind Crag, Frozen Lake, Grom’gar, Howling Plateau, Icewind Drifts, Lashwind Cleft, Stonefang Ridge, Southwind Cliffs, Wor’gol Ridge
  • Gorgrond – Deadgrin
  • Nagrand – Ancestral Grounds, Burning Plateau, Drowning Plateau, Kag’ah, Razed Warsong Outpost, Ring of Trials, Rumbling Plateau
  • Shadowmoon Valley – The Burial Fields, Anguish Fortress, Cursed Woods, Gloomshade, Shaz’gul

Draenor Clans Archaeology Fragment: Fang-Scarred Frostwolf Axe, Frostwolf Ancestry Scrimshaw, Wolfskin Snowshoes, Warsinger’s Drums, Screaming Bullroarer, Warsong Ceremonial Pike, Metalworker’s Hammer, Elemental Bellows, Blackrock Razor, Weighted Chopping Axe, Hooked Dagger, Barbed Fishing Hook, Calcified Eye In a Jar, Ceremonial Tattoo Needles, Cracked Ivory Idol

Ogre

Keystone: Ogre Missive

Rare Solves: Sorcerer-King Toe Ring, Warmaul of the Warmaul Chieftain

Digsites include:

  • Nagrand – Highmaul Watchtower, Mar’gok’s Overwatch, Overgrown Highmaul Road, Ruins of Na’gwa, Stonecrag Excavation
  • Gorgrond – Overlook Ruins, Ruins of the First Bastion, The Broken Spine, Wildwood Wash Dam
  • Spires of Arak – The Writhing Mire
  • Shadowmoon Valley – Umbrafen
  • Talador – Duskfall Island, Forgotten Ogre Ruin, Gordal Fortress, Zangarra

Ogre Archaeology Fragment: Ancestral Talisman, Flask of Blazegrease, Gronn-Tooth Necklace, Doomsday Prophecy, Stonemaul Succession Stone, Stone Manacles, Ogre Figurine, Pictogram Carving, Gladiator’s Shield, Mortar and Pestle, Eye of Har’gunn the Blind, Stone Dentures, Chimera Riding Harness, Imperial Decree Stele

Digging has a chance to spawn a spectral mob according to the type of dig site. They will be your level and drop extra fragments as well as a keystone on occasion.

Mine Carts

Mine Cart Follower

In addition to dig sites and jumping puzzles, fragments can also be looted from your garrison mining carts. These carts will be available once you upgrade your mine to level 2.

Exploration Missions

The Archaeology Fragment vendor in Ashran will trade you an Explorer’s Notebook in exchange for 5x Restored Artifacts.

Note: you can only have one of these missions open at a time so using more than one notebook simply destroys the notebook without giving you extra missions.

Achievements

Pristine Artifacts

Pristine solves will appear in your Town Hall once you’ve upgraded to level 3. Note that you won’t be able to accept the quest before level 100 as the alcove only appears in a fully upgraded building.

Draenor Curator

Factions

Two new factions are tied to archaeology:

Arakkoa Outcasts

Arakkoa-header

Reputation will come from quests in the Arakkoa quest hub of Talador and the Spires of Arak.
Items of note:

The Archaeology Fragment vendor and Quartermaster for the Arakkoa Outcasts are both located in Warspear – our faction city in Ashran.

Steamwhedle Preservation Society

Steamwheedle Preservation Society Header

The archaeology branch of the Steamwheedle Cartel offers several items of interest: