How do you find buried treasure in Minecraft?

Who this is for: Minecraft players looking to locate buried treasure chests and obtain Hearts of the Sea for conduit crafting.


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🗺️ Getting Your Hands on a Treasure Map

Before you can hunt for buried treasure, you need a treasure map. These special maps are found exclusively in shipwrecks and ocean ruins scattered across Minecraft’s waters. Look for wooden ship structures poking above the surface or explore underwater ruins – both can contain map chests with your ticket to riches.

When exploring shipwrecks, check all three sections: the bow, stern, and middle. The map chest typically spawns in the lower deck areas. Ocean ruins also hide treasure maps in their chest rooms, though you’ll need to dive deep and bring plenty of air.

📍 Reading Your Treasure Map

Once you have a treasure map, hold it in your hand to see a bird’s-eye view of the area. The red X marks your treasure location, while the white dot shows your current position. If you don’t see the white dot, you’re outside the map’s coverage area and need to travel toward the general region first.

The map covers a 1024×1024 block area, so you might need to travel quite far. Look for distinctive terrain features like coastlines, islands, or unique landforms that match what’s shown on the map to orient yourself properly.

⛏️ Digging Techniques That Actually Work

Here’s where many players get frustrated – the X doesn’t mark the exact surface spot. Buried treasure always spawns at Y-level 63 or below, typically in sand or gravel blocks near beaches. Start digging in a 3×3 area around where you think the X is located.

Pro tip: Bring multiple shovels since you’ll be digging through lots of sand and gravel. The treasure chest can be buried up to 10 blocks deep, so don’t give up if you don’t find it immediately. Sometimes the chest spawns under stone blocks near the shoreline rather than directly under sand.

🎯 Smart Search Strategies

If your initial digging spot doesn’t yield results, expand your search systematically. The treasure typically spawns within a 3-4 block radius of where the X appears to be. Try digging in a larger grid pattern, focusing on areas where sand meets other block types.

Pay attention to the terrain around you – buried treasure often spawns near the high-tide line where sand meets grass or stone. If you’re on a small island, check both sides of narrow land masses since the chest might be closer to the opposite shore.

💰 What’s Inside the Treasure

Buried treasure chests contain some of Minecraft’s most valuable loot. You’re guaranteed to find a Heart of the Sea, which is essential for crafting conduits. Other common treasures include iron and gold ingots, emeralds, diamonds, and various enchanted items like books and fishing rods.

The Heart of the Sea is particularly valuable since it’s the only way to obtain this item in survival mode. Combined with eight nautilus shells, it creates a conduit that provides underwater breathing and mining speed boosts – perfect for ocean exploration adventures.

Ready to start your own treasure hunting adventure? Explore our collection of Minecraft-inspired games to practice your exploration skills.

TL;DR

Find treasure maps in shipwrecks or ocean ruins, then follow the red X while digging 3×3 areas up to 10 blocks deep in sand near coastlines.

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Joyst1ck

Gaming Writer & HTML5 Developer

Answering gaming questions—from Roblox and Minecraft to the latest indie hits. I write developer‑focused HTML5 articles and share practical tips on game design, monetisation, and scripting.

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