Dig SitesFollow

On the World Map, look for small icons that look like shovels. It depends on your level but there should be 4 or so zones that will have it. Click on the zone that has one and you will see a "Red Zone" inside of it. Once you physically go to that zone the closer you get to the "red" spot, it will begin to change color from red to yellow and then to green. Once it is green then you can "dig" there and collect an fragment. FYI: the fragment is stored as currency.

16 sites only when you get to the appropriate level of Archaeology.

It's only 8 when you start, 12 when you get to 300, and then 16 when you get to 375.

483, working on my 7th rare (no substantial epics yet; I expect you need 525 for the ilvl359 epics) on my progress towards Associate Professor (10 rares completed).

It's a grind to be sure, but it's kind of fun to do as professions in general right now require a huge money sink.

I've gotten Fossilized Hatchling, Fossilized Raptor, Clockwork Gnome, Chalice of the Mountain Kings, Highborne Soul Mirror, Queen Azshara's Dressing Gown, and I'm working on a Wisp Amulet.

Rares are a huge pain in the ***, frankly. They take forever to make (not NE ones because their dig sites are fking EVERYWHERE), and only give 5 skill, the same as making a grey that takes 30-35 fragments (rares take 100-150 fragments to make).

Like I said, definitely a grind, but it's kind of fun to kill some time and get some fun stuff.

And I've gotten a ton of comments from people about my raptor mount and title.

The currency is certainly not irrelevant, it's how you create your artifacts. Check your archaeology window to see your progress on each race's artifacts.

Started it on my 80 pally. only up to about lvl 70 skill after a little while over 2 days.

Sometimes i find a few digs sites in one zone map (3 was the most i found in one zone at one time), most times they are spread way out. up to now i wasnt too sure how to look for more sites other then to physically fly there, but it seems there are icons on the global maps i havent noticed yet.

i have only put together 2 items so far, both grey quality, but i'm still pretty low level.

i guess the only good part so far is that you at least get some Exp for looting the dig sites.

I am just over 200 and had my first rare artifact come up to create. Not sure if that is high or low for the first rare, but it's when I got one.

The green items are keystones and contribute 12 extra fragments to any artifact of their race that has a little grey hexagon (or more than one) in the bottom left corner. You just put them in like a gem in a socket.

Hit 300 last night and I've completed the Fossilized Hatchling, Fossilized Raptor and Highborne Soul Mirror as rares so far.

Since a lot of people don't seem to have read much on the topic, I suggest checking out http://www.wowpedia.org/Archaeology for a basic rundown of how it works.

I hit 525 yesterday, and I've also completed 7 rares. It appears to be completely random when you get rares, as I got my first one at something like 125 skill (Hatchling).

It seems to be all chance, and a fairly low one (5% or so?).

Exactly what I've done. Plus, most quests are incredibly easy at 85.

I've leveled my main to 84 and have decided to spend a few days just leveling archeology (mostly anyway, when I get bored I can do a quick instance - being a tank is great). Main driver is the same as a few of you. I'm going to level it anyhow, so I might as well put some time into it now while it yields some EXP. My guild is starting to get a little raid-ainxious so I guess I'll have to ding by monday at the latest, but til then I hope I can push archeology to 300 or so (here's hoping anyway).

No artifacts so far, just vendor greens, but at 50k EXP a site, it ain't that bad. At least you DO get something out of it while you level. No matter what.

/luck

Those keystones are a good way to make money also once you max out. You can put then on the AH for like a thousand gold a stack depending on your server.

I'm well over 300 now, forget exactly how high, and found my first rare around 260 or so (raptor pet!). Eastern Kingdom, if you hadn't figured it out, has mostly troll and dwarf artifacts, some fossils, and minimal Night Elf. Kalimdor has a TON of Night Elf and a good amount of fossil, but only a few troll and maybe one dwarf. I like EK because the flight ceilings seem relatively high; but I like Kalimdor because I want the raptor mount

I didn't even think about it, but now I can go to Outland and soon to Northrend. Anyone think it's worth it? I'm working on two rares right now (Azshara's dress and the raptor mount), but that has significantly slowed down my leveling speed.

I want the Ultramarine Qiraji Battle Tank so freaking bad >_<