Skull Pottery Sherd
Sherd with a centered skull, brushed from suspicious sand in desert pyramids; used in Decorated Pot crafting.
Description
The fragment is used to craft a Decorated Pot. Place four sherds (or plain bricks) in a plus shape around the empty center slot of the crafting grid; the face that points outward in each slot defines which side of the pot displays that design. The finished Decorated Pot drops as a whole item only when broken bare-handed or with a Silk Touch tool — any ordinary tool breaks it back into its component pieces. The pot has a single inventory slot and accepts hoppers above and below for automation.
Block properties
| Item ID |
minecraft:skull_pottery_sherd
|
|---|---|
| /give command |
/give @p minecraft:skull_pottery_sherd
|
| Stackable | Yes (64) |
| Renewable | No |
| Java Edition | 1.20 |
| Bedrock Edition | 1.20 |
Guide
How to Get Skull Pottery Sherd in Minecraft
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1
Craft a Brush
Craft a Brush (Minecraft 1.20+) using 1 feather, 1 copper ingot, and 1 stick arranged vertically in a crafting grid. The Brush is the only tool that works on suspicious sand.
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2
Find a Desert Pyramid
Travel to a desert biome and locate a desert pyramid (desert temple). Suspicious sand blocks generate naturally inside the pyramid as part of the Trails & Tales loot system.
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3
Locate Suspicious Sand
Suspicious sand looks identical to regular sand but has a slightly rougher texture. In desert pyramids, it is found beneath the floor near the TNT trap.
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4
Brush the Suspicious Sand
Hold the Brush in your main hand and use it on suspicious sand. Hold the use button until the brushing animation completes — the item drops from the block. Skull Pottery Sherd is one of several possible drops, with a 12.5% chance per block.
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5
Use in Decorated Pot
Place 4 Skull Pottery Sherds (or any combination of sherds and bricks) in the 4 side slots of a crafting grid — top, bottom, left, right — to craft a Decorated Pot. The slot position determines which face of the pot shows the skull pattern.
Skull Pottery Sherd was added in Minecraft 1.20 (Trails & Tales). Each suspicious sand block contains exactly one item from a loot table; Skull Pottery Sherd is not guaranteed. A Decorated Pot broken with an ordinary tool drops the 4 sherds separately; broken by hand or with Silk Touch, it drops the pot as a whole item.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find Skull Pottery Sherd in Minecraft?
Skull Pottery Sherd is found by brushing suspicious sand inside desert pyramids. Desert wells and warm ocean ruins also contain suspicious sand, but they yield different pottery sherds, not the skull.
What tool do I need to get Skull Pottery Sherd?
You need a Brush to extract items from suspicious sand. The Brush is crafted from 1 feather, 1 copper ingot, and 1 stick, and was introduced in Minecraft 1.20.
Is Skull Pottery Sherd guaranteed to drop from suspicious sand?
No, Skull Pottery Sherd is not guaranteed. Each suspicious sand block contains exactly one item drawn from a loot table, and Skull Pottery Sherd is one of several possible outcomes (about 12.5% per block in a desert pyramid).
What version of Minecraft added Skull Pottery Sherd?
Skull Pottery Sherd was added in Minecraft 1.20 (the Trails & Tales update), which introduced the archaeology system, the Brush, and Decorated Pots.
How do I use Skull Pottery Sherd in a Decorated Pot?
Place 4 sherds (or any mix of Skull Pottery Sherds and bricks) into the top, bottom, left, and right slots of a crafting grid. Each slot position corresponds to a specific face of the finished Decorated Pot.
What happens when I break a Decorated Pot with Skull Pottery Sherds?
Breaking a Decorated Pot with an ordinary tool causes it to drop the 4 individual sherds used to make it. Breaking it with an empty hand or a Silk Touch tool drops the Decorated Pot as a whole item, preserving it intact.
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