Explorer Pottery Sherd
Gravel-buried fragment with a wandering figure, found by brushing cold ocean ruins — a perfect motif for travel-themed decorated pots.
Description
Four sherds and bricks combine in a plus pattern around an empty centre slot to make a Decorated Pot. Each side of the pot displays whatever was placed in that direction; copying the same motif on all four faces produces a uniform exterior, while mixing designs lets builders write a small visual story per block.
The item is mostly used for decoration in museums, libraries, treasure rooms and adventure maps, but the resulting pot is also a container with one inventory slot and accepts hopper input/output, so it can be used in compact item-routing setups where the visible face matters as much as the function.
Block properties
| Item ID |
minecraft:explorer_pottery_sherd
|
|---|---|
| /give command |
/give @p minecraft:explorer_pottery_sherd
|
| Stackable | Yes (64) |
| Renewable | No |
| Java Edition | 1.20 |
| Bedrock Edition | 1.20.0 |
How to get
How to Obtain Explorer Pottery Sherd and Craft a Decorated Pot
-
1
Craft a Brush
Open a crafting table and place a feather in the top slot, a copper ingot in the middle slot, and a stick in the bottom slot to craft a Brush.
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2
Find Cold Ocean Ruins
Explore cold and frozen ocean biomes to locate ocean ruins — Explorer Pottery Sherd appears only in the cold ruins variant, submerged stone structures that generate in ocean biomes from Java Edition 1.13 and Bedrock Edition 1.4.
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3
Brush Suspicious Gravel
Use the Brush on suspicious gravel blocks inside the cold ocean ruins. Hold the right mouse button (or use action button) until the block reveals its loot. Explorer Pottery Sherd is one of the possible archaeology rewards from this suspicious gravel.
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4
Collect the Explorer Pottery Sherd
Pick up the Explorer Pottery Sherd when it drops. The sherd occupies 1 inventory slot and can be stacked. Explorer Pottery Sherd cannot be obtained from loot chests, trading, or crafting — archaeology excavation is the only source.
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5
Craft a Decorated Pot
Place 4 pottery sherds or bricks in a plus pattern on a crafting table — one in each cardinal slot with the center empty. Each face of the Decorated Pot displays the motif of the sherd placed in the corresponding slot. The finished Decorated Pot has 1 inventory slot and works with hoppers for item transport.
Each suspicious gravel block in cold ocean ruins drops Explorer Pottery Sherd with a 6.7% chance (about 1 in 15). Brushing multiple suspicious gravel blocks in a single ruin structure increases the odds of finding one.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get Explorer Pottery Sherd in Minecraft?
Explorer Pottery Sherd is obtained by using a Brush on suspicious gravel blocks found inside cold ocean ruins. Cold ocean ruins generate in cold and frozen ocean biomes; the sherd does not appear in warm ruins, where the archaeology blocks are suspicious sand.
Can you craft Explorer Pottery Sherd?
No. Explorer Pottery Sherd cannot be crafted, purchased from villagers, or found in loot chests. Brushing suspicious gravel in cold ocean ruins is the only way to obtain Explorer Pottery Sherd.
What does the Explorer Pottery Sherd motif look like?
Explorer Pottery Sherd displays a lone walking figure with a pack on their back — a traveller setting out from settled territory. The motif represents exploration and long-distance journeys.
Which Minecraft version added Explorer Pottery Sherd?
Explorer Pottery Sherd was added in Java Edition 1.20 and Bedrock Edition 1.20.0, both released in June 2023 as part of the Trails & Tales update.
What can you make with Explorer Pottery Sherd?
Explorer Pottery Sherd is used to craft a Decorated Pot. Place 4 pottery sherds or bricks in a plus pattern on a crafting table — one in each cardinal slot with the center empty — to create a Decorated Pot whose faces display the motifs of the chosen sherds.
Can a Decorated Pot store items?
Yes. A Decorated Pot has 1 inventory slot that can hold a single stack of items. Hoppers placed above the pot insert items into it, and hoppers placed below extract items from it, making Decorated Pots useful for item sorting and decoration.
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