A Treasure Totem mid-use in Stardew Valley
Screenshot by Destructoid

How to get, craft and use a Treasure Totem in Stardew Valley

Don your best treasure hunting outfit!

In Stardew Valley, Artifact Spots are usually limited to two per area (although this limit is somewhat relaxed during Winter days), so it can be quite difficult to locate them and get your hands on the Artifacts you need to donate. 

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However, update 1.6 comes with a new item which significantly increases your chances of completing the Museum, or even the Island Field Office on Ginger Island, by giving you a huge number of Artifact Spots to dig up — Treasure Totems. 

How to get a Treasure Totem in Stardew Valley

The Mastery Cave in Stardew Valley
Screenshot by Destructoid

Before you can get your hands on a Treasure Totem, you’ll need to get all of your skill levels up to the maximum (10) and unlock the Mastery Cave, because the recipe for the Treasure Totem is a reward for unlocking the Foraging Mastery. 

Once you’ve unlocked your Foraging Mastery, you’ll also need to gather some materials, particularly Moss. The best way to get your hands on large amounts of Moss is by forgoing all of your responsibilities on green rain days when you can quickly get hundreds of them. At other times, you can get it from trees with green trunks.

To make a Treasure Totem, you’ll need:

How to use a Treasure Totem in Stardew Valley

Treasure Totem used inside the Mines in Stardew Valley
Screenshot by Destructoid

To use a Treasure Totem, select it in your inventory so that your character wields it above their head and then use it in the same way that you’d use any item. 

When you use a Treasure Totem, you’ll create a ring of 16 Artifact Spots (a huge increase on the two that are usually accessible in a single area) around you which, when excavated using your Hoe, will result in anything from basic resources to rare Artifacts which can be donated to the Museum or Island Field Office. 

The good news is that Treasure Totems can be used pretty much everywhere, even down in the Mines or Skull Cavern. The bad news is that you’re not guaranteed any particularly rare items by using one.

Artifact locations in Stardew Valley

Screenshot by Destructoid

Each area of Stardew Valley has a selection of different Artifacts that can possibly be excavated from Artifact Spots. Using a Treasure Totem in a particular area will increase your chances of finding the Artifacts that can usually be found there. 

The only exception to this is in the Mines and Skull Cavern, where you don’t regularly find Artifact Spots at all. In these locations, you’ll get more resources and occasionally some clothing items or Geode items, such as Mystery Boxes

I won’t go into the basic resources that can be found in different areas, but if you’re looking for specific Artifacts to complete your Museum collection, or want to know what you could possibly find using a Treasure Totem in a select location, here’s a list to help.

LocationPossible Artifacts
BackwoodsSkeletal Hand
BeachSkeletal Hand
Ornamental Fan
Trilobite
Nautilus Fossil
Anchor
Glass Shards
Dried Starfish
Palm Fossil 
Strange Doll
Bus StopPrehistoric Vertebra
Ancient Drum
Prehistoric Tool
Prehistoric Handaxe
Strange Doll
Arrowhead
Ancient Doll
FarmChicken Statue
Prehistoric Rib
Rusty Spur
ForestOrnamental Fan
Trilobite
Ancient Drum
Prehistoric Tool
Prehistoric Handaxe
Palm Fossil
Strange Doll
Amphibian Fossil
Ancient Seed
Bone Flute
Elvish Jewelry
Prehistoric Scapula
Ancient Sword
Chewing Stick
Arrowhead
Ancient Doll
Prehistoric Tibia
MountainTrilobite
Prehistoric Tool
Prehistoric Handaxe
Strange Doll
Amphibian Fossil
Ancient Sword
Ancient Seed
Bone Flute
Prehistoric Skull
Dinosaur Egg
Chewing Stick
Arrowhead
Ancient Doll
Rusty Cog
Pelican TownOrnamental Fan
Ancient Drum
Strange Doll
Bone Flute
Chewing Stick
Ancient Doll
Prehistoric Rib
Chipped Amphora
Rusty Spoon
DesertGolden Mask
Golden Relic
Palm Fossil
Ginger Island SouthFossilised Ribs
Ginger Island WestSnake Skull
Snake Vertebrae
Ginger Island Dig SiteSnake Skull

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Author
Image of Paula Vaynshteyn
Paula Vaynshteyn
With her first experience of gaming being on an Atari ST, Paula has been gaming for her entire life. She’s 7,000 hours deep into Final Fantasy XIV, spends more time on cozy games than she would care to admit, and is also your friendly resident Whovian. Juggling online adventuring with family life has its struggles, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.