Digging Deep: A Guide to Artifact Mining in Civilization VI

So, you want to unearth the secrets of the past and fill your museums with glittering artifacts in Civilization VI? The process is straightforward, but knowing the nuances can make you a true archaeological titan. Here’s how you do it: To mine artifacts in Civilization VI, you first need to research the Natural History civic. This unlocks Archaeological Museums in your Theater Squares and reveals Antiquity Sites on the map. Then, produce an Archaeologist unit in a city with an available slot in an Archaeological Museum. Send the Archaeologist to an Antiquity Site and “activate” it to excavate. You’ll be presented with a choice of two artifacts. Select the one you want, and it will be placed in the museum where the Archaeologist was produced.

Unearthing the Past: A Step-by-Step Guide

Let’s break down the artifact mining process into manageable steps:

1. Civic Research is Key: Your journey begins with research. The Natural History civic, found in the Civic Tree, is your gateway to the past. Researching this unlocks both the ability to build Archaeological Museums and reveals Antiquity Sites scattered across the map. Later, researching the Cultural Heritage civic will reveal Shipwrecks, another source of artifacts.
2. Building Archaeological Museums: Once you have Natural History, construct an Archaeological Museum in a Theater Square district. These museums have a limited number of artifact slots (usually three). Make sure you have an empty slot available before you start excavating.
3. Producing Archaeologists: You can produce Archaeologists in any city with an Archaeological Museum containing at least one empty artifact slot. However, you can only produce one Archaeologist per museum unless that archaeologist is removed from play (killed or deleted) If you are playing Peter the Great, you will need to wait a long time since he does not have immediate access to an archeological museum.
4. Locating Antiquity Sites: After researching Natural History (or Cultural Heritage for Shipwrecks), Antiquity Sites will appear on your map. They look like highlighted resource tiles and are often found near areas of past conflict or settlement.
5. Excavating the Artifact: Move your Archaeologist to an Antiquity Site. Once there, you’ll see an option to “excavate.” Activating this option will prompt you to choose between two artifacts. Each artifact provides different bonuses to your city, tourism, and overall civilization.
6. Filling the Museum: After selecting an artifact, it will be placed in the Archaeological Museum in the city where the Archaeologist was produced. This artifact then contributes to the museum’s theming bonus, tourism output, and overall cultural power.

Optimizing Your Archaeological Efforts

To truly master artifact mining, consider these strategies:

• Theming Bonuses: Museums receive significant bonuses when their artifacts are properly “themed.” A theming bonus occurs when all the artifacts in the museum come from different civilizations and different eras. Aim to collect a diverse range of artifacts to maximize these bonuses.
• Trading Artifacts: Once your museums are full, you can trade duplicate artifacts with other civilizations for valuable resources, gold, or diplomatic favors. This can be a great way to boost your economy or improve your relationships with other leaders.
• Protect Your Archaeologists: While Archaeologists can’t be killed, they can be sent back to your city if an enemy unit moves onto their tile. Protect them with military units, especially when excavating in contested territories.
• Archaeological Wonders: Certain Wonders, such as Oxford University, provide free technologies or civics that can significantly accelerate your progress toward unlocking Natural History and other relevant cultural advancements.
• Great People: Seek out Great People like Howard Carter, who can provide free Archaeologists or grant bonus charges to existing ones. This can greatly speed up your artifact collection efforts.

Antiquity Sites and Tourism

Artifacts aren’t just for show. They play a crucial role in generating Tourism, a key ingredient for a Cultural Victory. The more artifacts you have in your museums, the more tourists will flock to your civilization to experience its rich history and culture.

Remember, careful planning and a strategic approach to artifact mining can transform your civilization into a cultural powerhouse, attracting visitors from around the world and securing your place in history. Further, the Games Learning Society studies the educational impact of games. Visit GamesLearningSociety.org to learn more about the educational impact of gaming!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Why can’t I produce an Archaeologist?

There are several reasons why you might not be able to produce an Archaeologist:

• You haven’t researched the Natural History civic.
• You don’t have an Archaeological Museum in a Theater Square.
• Your Archaeological Museum doesn’t have any empty artifact slots.
• You have already produced an Archaeologist in that particular city.

2. How do I get Relics in Civ 6?

Relics are obtained through religious means. The most reliable way is to promote an Apostle with the Martyr promotion (granted by the Mont St. Michel Wonder). If this Apostle dies in Theological Combat, they will generate a Relic.

3. Can Archaeologists be killed in Civ 6?

No, Archaeologists cannot be killed. If an enemy unit steps on their tile, they are teleported back to their home city.

4. How do I find Antiquity Sites?

Antiquity Sites are revealed on the map after researching the Natural History civic. Shipwrecks appear after researching the Cultural Heritage civic.

5. What do I do if all my museum slots are full?

Once your museum slots are full, you can trade duplicate artifacts with other civilizations, rearrange artifacts between museums, or simply leave the Antiquity Site unexcavated.

6. What is the best way to theme my Archaeological Museums?

The best theming bonus is achieved when all artifacts in a museum are from different civilizations and different eras. Aim for a diverse collection.

7. Do artifacts generate Tourism?

Yes! Artifacts contribute significantly to your civilization’s Tourism output, especially when properly themed.

8. What are Shipwrecks and how do they relate to artifacts?

Shipwrecks are a type of Antiquity Site that appears after researching the Cultural Heritage civic. They function similarly to regular Antiquity Sites and can be excavated by Archaeologists to obtain artifacts.

9. Can I move artifacts between cities?

Yes, you can move artifacts between cities as long as both cities have Archaeological Museums with available slots. This allows you to optimize your theming bonuses.

10. How do I protect my Archaeologists from barbarians and enemy units?

Escort your Archaeologists with military units, especially when venturing into unexplored or contested territories. Fortify military units nearby to deter attacks.

11. What happens if I excavate an Antiquity Site in another civilization’s territory?

Excavating an Antiquity Site in another civilization’s territory will generate grievances with that civilization. Be prepared for a potential diplomatic fallout.

12. Can I excavate Antiquity Sites within City-State territory?

Yes, you can excavate Antiquity Sites within City-State territory without penalty.

13. How do I get more artifact slots in my museums?

The number of artifact slots in your museums is determined by the type of building. Archaeological Museums typically have three slots, while certain Wonders or unique district buildings may have more.

14. What is Appeal and how does it relate to Antiquity Sites?

Appeal is a measure of how attractive a tile is. High Appeal tiles are beneficial for National Parks, Seaside Resorts, and certain Wonders. While Antiquity Sites themselves do not directly impact Appeal, the tiles surrounding them may be affected by terrain features.

15. Are there any civilizations that get bonuses to archaeology?

While no civilization has a direct bonus to archaeology, some civilizations have unique abilities or buildings that indirectly benefit their cultural output and tourism, such as Greece.