Ancient cities are underground structures you reach by following sculk sensors and sculk shriekers down into the deep dark biome

An ancient city is a large underground structure in Minecraft that spawns only in the deep dark biome, which sits at the lowest levels of the world (Y-level −51 and below). The city contains valuable loot like echo shards and disc fragments, but also spawns the warden — a hostile mob that hunts by sound and vibration rather than sight. You do not need special tools or mods to find one, but you do need to know what to look for and how to move without triggering the warden.

The fastest way to locate an ancient city is to use the /locate command if you play on a world where cheats are on. Type /locate structure ancient_city and the game will tell you the coordinates of the nearest one. If cheats are off, you will need to travel down to the deep dark biome and search manually, which takes much longer.

Key Takeaways

  • Ancient cities only spawn in the deep dark biome below Y-level −51, so you must dig or cave-dive deep underground to find one.
  • The /locate command shows you the exact coordinates of the nearest ancient city if your world has cheats enabled.
  • Sculk blocks and sculk sensors mark the path to an ancient city; follow them downward and inward to reach the structure.
  • The warden spawns when you trigger sculk shriekers by making vibrations, so crouch-walking and avoiding noise keeps you safe while looting.
  • Bring a pickaxe, food, blocks to build with, and a water bucket before entering, because the deep dark has no natural light or straightforward escape routes.

Using the /locate command to pinpoint the exact coordinates

If your world allows cheats, the /locate command is the most direct route. Open the chat window (press T on Java Edition, or the right bumper on console), type /locate structure ancient_city, and press Enter. The game will respond with coordinates in the format X Z, telling you how far away the nearest ancient city is and in which direction.

Write down those coordinates or take a screenshot. Then open your map or use a compass to navigate to that location. Once you are above the coordinates, dig straight down or find a cave system that leads below Y-level −51. The ancient city will be somewhere beneath that spot, usually surrounded by deep dark blocks.

If you do not see the /locate command work, your world was created with cheats off. You can turn cheats on in an existing world by pausing, selecting "Open to LAN", and toggling "Allow Cheats" to on, then closing the menu. The setting takes effect when ready.

Navigating the deep dark biome to find the structure

The deep dark biome is recognizable by its dark teal and blue-gray blocks, called sculk. Sculk blocks do not spawn anywhere else, so if you see them, you are in the right place. The biome is completely dark — bring torches or a helmet with a light source, because mobs can still see you even if you cannot see them.

As you explore, you will notice sculk sensors — small blocks with a greenish tint that detect vibrations. These sensors are not dangerous on their own, but they trigger sculk shriekers, which summon the warden. Sculk sensors also mark the path toward the ancient city; the density of sculk blocks increases as you move closer to the structure.

Move slowly and deliberately. Crouch-walking (hold Shift on Java, or hold the crouch button on console) makes no vibrations and is your safest way to explore. Avoid jumping, running, or placing and breaking blocks unnecessarily, because all of these create vibrations that sensors detect.

What to bring before entering an ancient city

Pack these items before you head down: a pickaxe (stone or better) to mine sculk blocks and chests, a sword in case you encounter the warden, food to restore health, and at least one water bucket to escape quickly if needed. Water does not trigger sculk sensors, so pouring water and swimming down is a safe way to leave if the warden appears.

Bring building blocks like dirt or wood — enough to build a pillar up to the surface if you need to escape. Bring a bed if you want to set a spawn point, though sleeping in the deep dark is risky because it sets off vibrations. A bow and arrows or crossbow let you attack from range without moving close enough to trigger sensors.

Do not bring anything you cannot afford to lose. If the warden kills you, your items will drop and despawn after five minutes, and retrieving them means going back down into danger.

Looting the ancient city safely without summoning the warden

Once you locate the structure itself, you will see a large underground building made of sculk, deepslate, and reinforced deepslate blocks. Chests and loot are scattered throughout. The key to looting safely is staying crouched and moving slowly — never sprint, never jump, and never break blocks rapidly.

Open chests by right-clicking (or the equivalent on your platform). Opening a chest makes a small vibration, but a single vibration does not summon the warden. However, if you trigger a sculk shrieker three times, the warden will spawn. So limit yourself to a few chests per visit, then leave and return later if you want more loot.

If you do accidentally summon the warden, do not fight it directly — the warden is nearly impossible to defeat in melee combat. Instead, run to your water bucket, pour it, and swim upward as fast as you can. The warden cannot swim and will not follow you out of the deep dark.

Finding ancient cities without the /locate command

If your world has cheats off and you cannot turn them on, you will need to search manually. Dig down to Y-level −51 or below and explore cave systems. Look for sculk blocks — they are the only indicator that you are in the deep dark biome. Once you find sculk, follow it deeper and inward, as the density increases toward the ancient city structure.

This method is much slower than using /locate, and you may explore for hours without finding a city. If you are willing to restart your world, creating a new one with cheats on from the start is faster than searching manually.

Alternatively, some players use third-party mapping tools like Chunky or Amidst (for older versions) to preview their world and locate the deep dark biome before diving down. These tools work offline and do not modify your world.

What loot you will find in an ancient city

Echo shards are the rarest and most valuable loot — they are used to craft recovery compasses, which point toward your last death location. You will also find disc fragments (used to craft the "Otherside" music disc), amethyst clusters, diamonds, iron, and copper. Chests contain varying amounts depending on the chest type.

The loot is worth the risk if you want the recovery compass or the music disc, but the diamonds and ore can be found elsewhere more safely. Plan your visit based on what you actually need, rather than trying to loot everything at once.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the warden and why should I avoid it?

The warden is a hostile mob that spawns when you trigger sculk shriekers three times in the deep dark. It has 500 health and deals massive damage, making it nearly impossible to defeat in direct combat. It hunts by vibration, not sight, so you cannot hide by standing still. Your best defense is to avoid triggering shriekers and to escape using water if one spawns.

Can I turn off vibrations so the warden does not detect me?

No, but you can minimize vibrations by crouch-walking instead of running or jumping. Crouch-walking makes no vibrations at all. Opening chests, eating food, and drawing a bow all create small vibrations, but a single vibration is not enough to summon the warden — you need three shrieker triggers.

Do I need a specific Minecraft version to find ancient cities?

Ancient cities were added in the 1.19 update (Java Edition) and the Caves and Cliffs Part II update (Bedrock Edition). If you are playing an older version, you will not find them. Check your launcher to confirm you are on version 1.19 or later.

What if I find the coordinates but cannot locate the structure underground?

The /locate command gives you the surface coordinates, but the ancient city is buried deep below. Dig straight down from those coordinates until you reach Y-level −51 or lower, then search the surrounding area. The structure can be up to 100 blocks away horizontally from the exact coordinates.

Can I use mods or datapacks to make finding ancient cities easier?

Yes, many datapacks and mods add waypoints, mini-maps, or enhanced /locate commands that show the exact location of structures. These are optional and do not affect your world's legitimacy unless you are playing on a server with specific rules.