The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) continues to evolve with every expansion, offering players new ways to explore Tamriel's vast and storied world. Among its most beloved systems is the Antiquities System, introduced with the Greymoor expansion. This feature allows players to become treasure hunters and historians, uncovering ancient relics, lost artifacts, and hidden lore buried beneath the lands of Tamriel. Beyond the excitement of discovery, the Antiquities System provides a steady source of experience,ESO Gold, cosmetics, furnishings, and even powerful Mythic items.

This guide will take you through everything you need to know about the Antiquities System-from how it works and where to start, to strategies for leveling your skills and maximizing your rewards.

Getting Started:Unlocking the Antiquities System

To begin your journey as an antiquarian, you must own the Greymoor expansion. Once unlocked, you can head to Solitude in Western Skyrim and visit the Antiquarian Circle, where you'll meet Verita Numida. She will introduce you to the basics through a short tutorial quest called "The Antiquarian's Art." Completing this tutorial grants you access to two important tools:

The Antiquarian's Eye - used to scry for hidden leads and uncover the locations of ancient artifacts.

The Antiquities Skill Lines - consisting of Scrying and Excavation, which govern your ability to locate and unearth treasures.

Understanding Scrying and Excavation

The Antiquities System is built on two interconnected activities:Scrying and Excavation. Mastery of both is key to uncovering the best rewards.

1. Scrying

Scrying is a mini-game that lets you use magical intuition to reveal the possible locations of hidden relics. You'll be presented with a hex-based board, where your goal is to connect magical facets and control as much of the board as possible before running out of turns. The more you dominate the board, the more precise your excavation area becomes.

As you level up your Scrying skill line, you'll unlock powerful abilities that make it easier to expand your control, reduce difficulty, and reveal bonus rewards. At higher levels, you can scry for Mythic Leads, Furnishings, and even Treasure Maps that other players cannot access.

2. Excavation

Once the artifact's general location has been revealed, you'll move on to Excavation-a skill-based mini-game that simulates a careful archaeological dig. Using special tools such as brushes, trowels, and augurs, you carefully uncover the buried item. Excavation requires precision and patience:dig too deep or too recklessly, and you might damage or destroy the relic.

As your Excavation skill improves, you'll unlock better tools, more precise scanning abilities, and the ability to detect bonus caches such as Survey Reports or Bonus Loot Nodes, which can yield rare crafting materials or furnishings.

The Rewards:What You Can Find

The Antiquities System offers a wide variety of rewards, catering to both collectors and adventurers. Each zone in ESO has its own unique set of antiquities, ensuring that exploration across Tamriel always brings something new.

Common Antiquities - These are easily obtainable and primarily grant gold and experience. They're perfect for leveling your skills and discovering lore-rich artifacts.

Furnishings and Collectibles - Many antiquities yield unique home decorations, furniture, or even mementos, giving your house a personal touch that reflects your adventures.

Leads to Mythic Items - The most valuable rewards of all, Mythic Items are powerful, one-piece gear sets that offer unique bonuses. To find these, you must combine several leads from different zones and skillfully complete high-level Scrying and Excavation challenges. Examples include the Ring of the Wild Hunt, Malacath's Band of Brutality, and Snow Treaders, each capable of altering your build dramatically.

Cosmetics and Mounts - Some antiquities unlock rare cosmetics, mounts, or even special motifs, making them a major draw for completionists.

Leveling Your Antiquities Skill Lines Efficiently

If you want to master Antiquities quickly, consistent practice is key. Here are some of the best tips for efficient progression:

Start in Lower-Level Zones:Early on, focus on green and blue leads from easier zones. These provide quick experience and help you practice the mini-games without risking failure.

Complete Daily and Weekly Quests:ESO frequently offers daily and weekly Antiquities quests that reward you with gold, experience, and sometimes even rare items. Check your Journal → Quests → Antiquities tab regularly for new opportunities.

Scry Every Lead You Find:You can hold multiple leads at once, but each has an expiration timer-usually 30 days. Don't let them expire; always make use of your findings.

Upgrade Scrying Passives:Focus early on the Augur and Foresight passives to improve your efficiency during the Scrying mini-game.

Excavate with Precision:Take your time during excavation. Rushing can break the relic and waste your effort. The goal is accuracy, not speed.

Making Gold with Antiquities

Beyond lore and collectibles, Antiquities can be a consistent source of Elder Scrolls Online Gold. While most common relics aren't worth much individually, the gold quickly adds up when you excavate regularly. Rarer finds and Mythic fragments, however, can sell for high prices to other players or be used to enhance your own build.

Furnishings obtained through antiquities are also a great source of income. Certain rare furnishings-especially those with unique effects or appearances-can fetch high prices in guild stores, making Antiquities an appealing gold-making method for players who enjoy exploration rather than combat.

Exploring the Lore of Tamriel

The Antiquities System isn't just about treasure-it's a celebration of Elder Scrolls lore. Each item comes with a detailed description that reveals a small piece of Tamriel's vast history. Through this system, players learn about forgotten heroes, ancient wars, and the hidden stories behind the world's ruins. For lore enthusiasts, each dig site feels like uncovering a lost chapter of the Elder Scrolls saga.

Final Thoughts
The Antiquities System in The Elder Scrolls Online is one of the game's most rewarding and immersive features. It transforms exploration into a treasure hunt that combines skill, patience, and curiosity. Whether you're chasing Mythic items for your build, decorating your home with rare furnishings, or simply unraveling the mysteries of Tamriel's past, Antiquities offer endless adventure and value.