How to Find Ancient Cities in Minecraft

Ancient Cities are sprawling, ghost-town-like structures found deep underground in the ominous Deep Dark biome, introduced in Minecraft 1.19 "The Wild Update". These eerie, ancient ruins are the largest individual structures in the game, often spanning hundreds of blocks, and are constructed primarily from Deepslate variants (Tiles, Bricks, Cobbled, Polished) and unique Sculk blocks. They represent the remnants of a long-lost civilization, filled with intriguing, often ruined architecture like crumbling towers, empty barracks-like structures suggesting former habitation, peculiar "ice boxes" filled with Packed Ice, hidden rooms, and a mysterious large central monument resembling a Warden's head, built from unobtainable Reinforced Deepslate. The atmosphere is thick with silence, broken only by the unsettling sounds of Sculk and the potential roar of its guardian. While they contain some of the most valuable and unique loot in Minecraft, including exclusive enchantments and items, they are also arguably the most dangerous places to explore, being the exclusive domain of the terrifyingly powerful Warden. Successfully navigating and plundering an Ancient City requires careful preparation, meticulous stealth, situational awareness, and considerable courage.

Where to Find Ancient Cities

Ancient Cities generate exclusively within the Deep Dark biome. This biome is characterized by its near-total absence of natural light, its profound silence occasionally shattered by Sculk activity, and the pervasive presence of Sculk blocks carpeting almost every surface. The Deep Dark only spawns deep underground in the Overworld, specifically below Y-level 0, typically generating between Y-levels -1 and -64, interwoven with the Deepslate layer of the world.

While the biome itself can span a range of depths within this Deepslate zone, Ancient Cities tend to generate most frequently near the bottom of the world, specifically centered around Y-level -52. This vertical coordinate is your prime target altitude when searching. The Deep Dark biome, and thus Ancient Cities, also prefers to generate in areas with low erosion values. Erosion is a hidden terrain generation parameter; low erosion typically corresponds to regions under mountainous terrain (like Jagged Peaks, Stony Peaks, or Groves), high plateaus, or even deep oceans on the surface. If you see large mountain ranges or high-altitude biomes above ground, there's a slightly higher chance of finding a Deep Dark biome and potentially an Ancient City far beneath them. You can technically check the erosion value using the F3 debug screen (listed under "E:" or "erosion:"), looking for values closer to -1 or 0. However, simply targeting areas under mountains is a good practical approach.

Look for vast caverns filled with the distinct dark teal and black colors of Sculk blocks – these are the tell-tale signs you're in the right place. Regular Deepslate caves will be grey; the Deep Dark is unmistakable once you see the sheer density of Sculk patches, veins spreading across the floor and walls, and the occasional glowing Sensor or ominous Shrieker. The sheer size of an Ancient City means that once you find the edge of one, characterized by Deepslate Brick pathways or walls mixed with Sculk, it will likely stretch for a considerable distance, often filling the entire volume of a large cave system. Sometimes, the Deep Dark biome might blend at the edges with other cave biomes like Lush Caves or Dripstone Caves, creating unusual and sometimes treacherous transitions.

How to Search Efficiently

Finding an Ancient City requires patience, persistence, and a systematic approach. Brute-force exploration can work, but smart strategies save time and resources. Here are some effective methods:

1. Go Deep Underground: Your first step is reaching the necessary depth safely. Digging straight down is notoriously risky due to potential lava pockets or long drops into caverns. Instead, create a safe staircase (at least 2 blocks wide for easier turning and retreat) or a 2x1 shaft with ladders placed every other block. Alternatively, find a deep natural cave system, ravine, or even a large aquifer cave that naturally descends close to the target Y-level. Aim to establish a small, secure base camp or staging area around Y-level -52, ideally just outside any detected Sculk patches. Remember to light your access tunnel thoroughly with torches or lanterns placed frequently to prevent hostile mob spawns behind you. Using a Water Bucket to create a water column elevator (Soul Sand at the bottom for ascent, Magma Block for descent, though risky) can also be efficient for travel, provided you have the necessary Respiration enchantments or Potions of Water Breathing. Scaffolding can also provide a quick way down, but be mindful of the noise placing it creates. Avoid digging directly into a suspected Deep Dark area from above if possible, as you could land right on a Shrieker or in the path of a Warden.
2. Look for Sculk: Once at the target depth, start exploring horizontally through caves or by digging tunnels. The Deep Dark biome is visually unmistakable. It's almost entirely composed of dark, eerie Sculk blocks (with glowing, starry textures), Sculk Veins (which spread like a thin, dark carpet), Sculk Catalysts (white-topped blocks that bloom and spread Sculk when mobs die nearby, potentially creating new hazards), Sculk Sensors (sensitive, tendril-topped blocks that detect vibrations), and Sculk Shriekers (the most dangerous block, responsible for summoning the Warden). The presence of any of these blocks, especially in large quantities covering the floor, walls, and ceiling of a massive cavern, confirms you're in a Deep Dark biome. Ancient Cities themselves are constructed structures within this biome, built from Deepslate variants (Cobbled, Bricks, Tiles, Polished) and Reinforced Deepslate, often arranged in recognisable pathways, bridges, walls, and ruined buildings, interwoven naturally with the Sculk growth. The sheer volume of Sculk is a dead giveaway; if you find yourself in a massive cave system almost entirely coated in these dark, subtly animated blocks, you might be close to or already inside an Ancient City. Observing patches of Sculk spreading from a Catalyst is also a clue that you're in the biome, as Catalysts only generate naturally here.
3. Listen for Sound Cues: Audio is exceptionally crucial in the Deep Dark. Turn up your Minecraft sound effects volume (or use headphones). The biome has unique, eerie ambient sounds – faint whispers, distant clicks, Sculk blocks pulsating, and a low, unsettling hum that contributes to the oppressive atmosphere. More importantly, listen for the distinct clicking or pulsing sounds of nearby Sculk Sensors activating in response to vibrations (even distant cave sounds or dripping water can trigger them) or the chilling, resonant "wub-wub" sound a Sculk Shrieker makes when triggered by a Sensor. While these sounds indicate immediate danger, they also confirm you're in the right biome. Sometimes, if a Warden has already been summoned by natural mob spawns dying near a Catalyst and triggering Shriekers, or by previous player activity, you might even hear its distant, thumping heartbeat (which gets faster and louder as it gets closer) or its low groans and roars, a sure sign an Ancient City (or at least a large Deep Dark patch capable of spawning it) is nearby. Using subtitles (Options > Accessibility Settings) can also help pinpoint the direction and type of nearby sounds, including Warden footsteps or Shrieker activations.
4. Create a Strip Mine: If exploring natural cave systems doesn't yield results, systematic strip mining remains an effective, albeit resource-intensive, method. At the target Y-level (-52 is ideal), dig a main tunnel (2 blocks high, 1 block wide) stretching hundreds of blocks in one direction. Every 3-5 blocks along this main tunnel (spacing depends on how thorough you want to be – 3 blocks apart means you won't miss any gaps), dig perpendicular branch tunnels extending outwards for 50-100 blocks or until you break into a cave. This method maximizes the area you uncover while minimizing the amount of redundant digging. Be extremely mindful that mining blocks creates vibrations that will trigger Sculk Sensors if you are mining near a Deep Dark patch. If you start hearing Sculk sounds, immediately slow down, switch to sneaking, and consider using wool to dampen sound around your mining activity. Consider bringing enchantments like Efficiency V and Haste II beacons (if available) to speed up the process considerably, but be aware faster breaking means more frequent vibrations, increasing risk near Sculk. Fortune III on your pickaxe is also highly recommended to maximize ore gains (like diamonds, which are more common at these depths) during the search. Avoid using TNT for large-scale clearing anywhere near suspected Sculk, as the massive vibrations would almost certainly trigger multiple Shriekers instantly.
5. Use the

   /locate

   Command: If you're playing in a world with cheats enabled or have the necessary operator permissions on a server, this is undoubtedly the fastest method. Open the chat window (usually by pressing 'T') and type

   /locate structure minecraft:ancient_city

   (or just

   /locate ancient_city

   in some versions). Press Enter. The game will analyze the nearby chunks and output the coordinates (X, Y, Z) of the nearest Ancient City structure. You can then press F3 to view your current coordinates and navigate towards the target location, perhaps using the coordinate information to tunnel directly. Alternatively, if cheats are enabled, you can often click the coordinates displayed in the chat to automatically generate a

   /tp

   command, allowing you to teleport instantly to the vicinity of the structure. While efficient, this method entirely bypasses the challenge, tension, and rewarding exploration aspect of finding one naturally. Be aware the

   /locate

   command might sometimes point to coordinates deeply embedded within solid Deepslate, requiring significant digging to reach the actual open structure.

What to Bring

Venturing into an Ancient City unprepared is practically a suicide mission. The darkness, the environmental hazards, and the ever-present threat of the Warden demand strategic packing:

• Wool blocks: Absolutely crucial for stealth. Placing and walking on wool blocks (or wool carpets placed on top of other blocks) prevents your movement from creating vibrations. This effectively silences your footsteps, block placements, chest openings, and even eating sounds from Sculk Sensors and, by extension, the Warden. Bring several stacks (at least 3-4 stacks of 64), as you'll use them constantly to create safe pathways, muffle work areas, and bridge gaps silently. Remember you can mine wool blocks back up silently and quickly using Shears. Carpets offer the same silencing effect but require a block underneath.
• Light Sources: While the Deep Dark is naturally pitch-black, relying solely on torches can be risky as placing them creates vibrations. However, some light is necessary to navigate and spot loot unless you opt for potions. Soul Torches or Soul Lanterns offer a slightly dimmer, bluer light than regular torches, fitting the biome's aesthetic and potentially being less visually jarring, but any standard light source works. An excellent alternative or supplement is Potions of Night Vision. These provide clear vision in total darkness without placing any blocks, eliminating vibration risks from lighting. Aim for the 8-minute duration versions and bring several. Remember, Night Vision doesn't prevent hostile mob spawns in adjacent, unlit caves outside the Sculk zones.
• A Shield: Non-negotiable. A shield is absolutely essential for survival. It can block the Warden's powerful melee attacks if you react quickly enough. More critically, raising your shield completely negates all damage from its devastating ranged Sonic Boom attack, which otherwise pierces through armor and enchantments. Keep the shield in your off-hand (F key by default) and practice raising it instantly when you hear the Sonic Boom charging sound. Enchanting it with Unbreaking III and Mending is highly recommended due to the potential frequency of needing to block. Note that any banner pattern applied might be destroyed if the shield's durability breaks.
• Potions: Beyond Night Vision, several other potions are invaluable. Potions of Swiftness (Speed II preferably, 8-minute duration) are vital for making a quick escape if a Warden is summoned and spots you. Healing Potions (Instant Health II) or Regeneration potions provide emergency recovery from unexpected damage (like fall damage or stray mob hits). Consider bringing several Milk Buckets to instantly clear the Darkness status effect applied by Sculk Shriekers and the Warden, which severely limits your vision. Potions of Invisibility can help against regular mobs sometimes found on the city outskirts but are useless against the Warden, which detects via sound, smell, and vibration, not sight. Potions of Slow Falling can be a lifesaver if knocked off a high structure or bridge.
• Armor and Weapons: Full Diamond or, ideally, Netherite armor enchanted with Protection IV on all pieces is highly recommended to survive accidental hits or falls. Feather Falling IV on boots is critical to mitigate damage from the many potential drops within the city's varied terrain. Soul Speed III on boots can help when traversing Soul Sand/Soil patches sometimes found near ruined portals, but it's less useful on the main wool paths you'll create. Bring a strong melee weapon, like a Netherite Sword with Sharpness V or a Netherite Axe (Axes deal more damage per hit but swing slower; their shield-disabling ability is irrelevant against the Warden). This is mainly for clearing any non-Warden hostile mobs (Zombies, Skeletons, Creepers) that might wander in from adjacent caves, or for breaking obstructive blocks quickly. Remember, direct combat with the Warden is extremely ill-advised due to its immense health and damage output; evasion is always the preferred strategy. A bow or crossbow (enchanted with Infinity or Power V/Piercing) isn't effective for damaging the Warden but is excellent for creating distractions. Firing an arrow or throwing a snowball/egg causes a vibration where it lands, potentially luring the Warden away from your position. Snowballs are cheap and stackable, making them ideal distraction tools.
• Tools: A high-quality Diamond or Netherite Pickaxe (enchanted with Efficiency V, Unbreaking III, Mending) is essential for clearing Deepslate, mining ores found nearby, and breaking loot chests (though an Axe breaks chests faster). A Shovel (similarly enchanted) is useful for quickly clearing any gravel or dirt patches sometimes found within the city ruins. Shears are invaluable and arguably one of the most important tools here: they allow you to silently break and collect wool/carpets, Sculk Sensors, Sculk Shriekers (though they still shriek once when broken this way), and Sculk Veins without creating vibrations. A Hoe is technically the fastest tool for breaking Sculk blocks themselves, should you need to clear them for some reason (though usually avoidance is better). An Axe is also useful for breaking any annoying Cobwebs.
• Food: Bring a large supply of high-saturation food to keep your hunger bar full, enabling health regeneration. Golden Carrots, Steak, or Cooked Porkchops are excellent choices. Bring several Golden Apples (both regular and Enchanted Golden Apples if possible) for emergency situations – they provide rapid health regeneration and crucial Absorption hearts, which can be the difference between life and death if caught by the Warden.
• Ender Pearls: Useful for quick escapes across large gaps, reaching high ledges, or teleporting out of a corner if the Warden boxes you in. Be warned: the pearl's landing creates a vibration, potentially re-alerting the Warden or triggering nearby Sensors if not landing on wool. Use them judiciously as an emergency escape tool.
• Storage and Navigation: Consider bringing one or two Shulker Boxes to store the valuable loot you find, allowing for longer expeditions. Scaffolding can be useful for safely navigating vertically within the ruined structures. A Compass (or a Lodestone Compass linked to a Lodestone placed at your safe base) is essential for maintaining your bearings and finding your way back out through the potentially confusing city layout and your access tunnels. While you can't sleep in the Deep Dark if a Warden is nearby (or potentially at all due to mob proximity), having a Bed to set your spawn point outside the Deep Dark biome, near your entrance tunnel, is highly recommended.

Exploring Safely

The primary, overwhelming threat in Ancient Cities is the Warden, summoned exclusively via Sculk Shriekers. Understanding the intricate Sculk summoning mechanic is absolutely key to survival:

• Sculk Sensors: These flowery, tendril-topped blocks detect vibrations within a 9-block spherical radius. Vibrations are caused by a wide range of actions: movement (walking, running, jumping, landing), placing/breaking blocks, opening/closing chests and doors, using items (eating, drinking potions, firing bows), projectile impacts (arrows, snowballs, Ender Pearls landing), explosions, and even interactions with levers or buttons. When a Sensor detects a vibration, its tendrils wiggle, it emits a clicking sound and a light pulse, and it sends a signal through Sculk Veins or directly to nearby Sculk Shriekers. Placing wool or carpet completely blocks vibrations from passing through it or originating from actions performed on it.
• Sculk Shriekers: These skull-like blocks with swirling blue centers are the Warden summoners. They "listen" for signals sent by nearby Sculk Sensors (within about an 8-block range). Each time a player-caused vibration triggers a nearby Sensor which then signals a Shrieker, that Shrieker activates, emits a loud, echoing shriek that travels far, briefly applies the Darkness effect (a pulsing black fog that drastically reduces vision) to nearby players, and increments that player's hidden "warning level". Upon receiving the fourth such player-caused signal (tracked per player), the Shrieker will emit a final, louder shriek and begin the Warden summoning sequence from the ground nearby, regardless of light levels or mob caps. This warning level resets only if the player avoids triggering any Shrieker for 10 minutes. Importantly, vibrations caused by non-player sources (like bats flying, skeletons walking, or items dropping naturally) can trigger Sensors, but these activations do not count towards the Warden summoning counter. Breaking a Shrieker (even silently with Shears or Silk Touch) causes it to emit one final shriek and apply Darkness, but this break itself does not contribute to the summoning count unless it was activated by a nearby sensor detecting the breaking action itself (which shouldn't happen if broken with shears while sneaking on wool). Multiple Shriekers can be activated by a single vibration event if they are close enough to the source or the triggering Sensor.
• The Warden: This terrifying, large, blind mob navigates primarily using sound, vibrations, and smell (it periodically sniffs the air, detecting nearby entities). It possesses immense health (500 points, or 250 hearts – more than the Ender Dragon or Wither) and deals devastating melee damage (up to 45 points/22.5 hearts on Hard difficulty). It also possesses a ranged Sonic Boom attack; it opens its chest cavity, charges up with a distinct sound, and fires a beam that travels instantly, passes through blocks, and bypasses armor enchantments (dealing 6-15 damage depending on difficulty). This attack can only be fully blocked by raising a shield. The Warden is immune to lava and fire damage and doesn't drown. Direct confrontation is almost always a losing battle. If summoned, your primary goal should be to break line-of-sight (if possible, though it navigates by sound), get onto wool paths immediately, and sneak away silently. Creating distractions by throwing projectiles (snowballs, arrows, eggs) away from your intended escape route can lure it off your trail. The Warden will dig itself back underground and despawn if it doesn't detect any vibrations or entities via sniffing for a full 60 seconds. It is surprisingly adept at pathfinding and can navigate through 1-block wide gaps despite its size.

Exploration Tips:

• Crouch (Sneak) Constantly: Make sneaking (holding the Shift key by default) your default mode of movement within the city and anywhere near Sculk. Sneaking significantly reduces the vibrations you create, preventing Sculk Sensors from detecting your basic walking.
• Use Wool Paths Religiously: Before walking anywhere, placing blocks, looting chests, or performing any action that might cause vibration, lay down a path or platform of wool blocks or carpets first. This muffles the vibrations entirely, rendering you effectively invisible to Sculk Sensors through sound. Carry shears to reclaim wool silently.
• Chest Looting Strategy: Chests are abundant and contain the best loot, but opening and closing them creates significant vibrations. Before looting a chest, carefully encase the area immediately around and above it with wool blocks. Crouch on the wool, then open the chest. Loot quickly, close it (optional, also makes noise), and move on. Breaking the chest afterwards with an axe (while on wool) is quieter than repeated opening/closing if you need the space.
• Avoid Unnecessary Noise: Be hyper-aware of actions that create vibrations. Don't jump or sprint unless absolutely necessary (and preferably only on wool). Break blocks very cautiously, ideally while standing on wool. Eat or drink potions only when standing on wool or far from any Sensors. Even dropping items creates noise.
• Identify and Neutralize Shriekers: Learn to recognize the distinctive shape of Sculk Shriekers. Give them a wide berth whenever possible. If a Shrieker is in a critical pathway or near essential loot chests, consider neutralizing it. Sneak up to it on wool and use Shears to break it silently (remembering it will still shriek once upon breaking). This prevents it from contributing to future Warden summons from that specific spot.
• Have Multiple Escape Plans: Before delving deep into a section of the city, identify potential escape routes. Pre-laid wool paths leading back towards your entrance tunnel or towards designated "safe zones" (small areas cleared of Sculk Sensors/Shriekers) are invaluable if a Warden is unexpectedly summoned. Know where nearby gaps, pillars, or vertical escapes are located.
• Mark Your Path: Ancient Cities can be vast and labyrinthine. Use markers like differently colored wool blocks at intersections, signs (placing them makes noise!), or distinct mining patterns in walls to avoid getting lost and to easily backtrack along safe, wool-covered routes.
• Handling Accidental Summons: If you hear the fourth Shriek and the Warden starts emerging: FREEZE. Don't panic-run. Pinpoint the Warden's location by its sounds (summoning roar, heartbeat, footsteps). Immediately ensure you are sneaking and on wool if possible. Slowly and silently back away, putting distance and solid blocks between you and it. Once safe, consider throwing a snowball or shooting an arrow in a direction away from yourself and your escape route to distract it. Then, continue sneaking away until it despawns (after 60 seconds of not detecting you).

The loot found within Ancient City chests is what makes navigating this incredibly dangerous environment worthwhile. You can find unique, structure-exclusive items like Echo Shards (combine 8 shards around a regular compass to craft a Recovery Compass, a reusable item that points towards the location of your last death), Disc Fragments (combine 9 fragments in a Crafting Table to craft the unique Music Disc "5"), and the coveted Swift Sneak enchanted book (has levels I, II, and III, allowing progressively faster movement speed while sneaking; this enchantment can only be found here and applied to leggings). Beyond these exclusives, chests are often packed with high-tier general loot, including Enchanted Golden Apples (sometimes multiple!), Diamonds, blocks of Diamond or Gold, Mending books, Potions of Regeneration ingredients (Ghast Tears), various other enchantment books (including Protection IV), and occasionally pieces of enchanted diamond armor or tools (though often damaged). Look for chests hidden in the various ruined structures, along the Deepslate brick pathways, tucked away in small rooms, within the "ice box" structures (check under the packed ice), and especially clustered around the base of the large central Warden-head-like monument. Exploring the different architectural elements – the ruined portals, the barracks with empty armor stands, the trap rooms with pressure plates, the central monument itself – often reveals hidden chest locations.

Ancient Cities represent a pinnacle PvE challenge in Minecraft, testing a player's stealth capabilities, environmental awareness, preparation, and nerve unlike any other location. Tread carefully, respect the power of the Sculk, do everything in your power to avoid the Warden, and you might just escape with incredible treasures and legendary stories from the deepest, darkest, and most dangerous corners of the Overworld.