Fossil

{
 "title": "Fossil",
 "rows": [
 {
 "field": "(values exceeds 1000 characters...)",
 "label": "(link to Biome article, displayed as Biomes)"
 },
 {
 "field": "No",
 "label": "Generates in<br>existing chunks  "
 },
 {
 "field": "(values exceeds 1000 characters...)",
 "label": "Consists of"
 }
 ],
 "invimages": [],
 "images": []
}

A fossil is a rarely-occurring skeletal feature composed of bone blocks, coal ore above Y=0, or diamond ore below Y=-8.

Fossils randomly generate only in desert, swamp and mangrove swamp biomes. Each chunk has two attempts within Y-coordinates 0 to 320 or -63 to -8 underground to generate a fossil, each with a chance of ¹⁄₆₄. They have an equal chance to generate as any of the four variants of skull or four variants of spine.

Fossils first generate the pure-bone layer with a structure integrity of 0.9, meaning 10% of the bone blocks are removed and do not override original terrain blocks, leaving 90% bone blocks. Next, the ore layer generates with a structure integrity of 0.1, replacing 10% of the existing fossil with coal ore for fossils that generate above Y level 0. Diamond ore or deepslate diamond ore generate below Y level -8. The locations of these ore blocks do not always correspond with the voids generated in the initial bone fossil, so the resulting combination of both generations usually result in an incomplete fossil structure composed of bone blocks and ores.

Because fossils are features instead of structures, they generate even when the "Generate Structures" option is turned off.^[1]

Naturally-generated fossils are composed of a mix of bone blocks and coal or diamond ores, as detailed above. They are made with NBT structure files and have files for each type of fossil located in the folder minecraft.jar/data/minecraft/structures/fossil.

There are 4 type of skulls and 4 type of spines.

Java Edition:

Bedrock Edition:

Java Edition:

{
"type":"minecraft:fossil",
"config":{
"fossil_processors":"minecraft:fossil_rot",
"fossil_structures":[
"minecraft:fossil/spine_1",
"minecraft:fossil/spine_2",
"minecraft:fossil/spine_3",
"minecraft:fossil/spine_4",
"minecraft:fossil/skull_1",
"minecraft:fossil/skull_2",
"minecraft:fossil/skull_3",
"minecraft:fossil/skull_4"
],
"max_empty_corners_allowed":4,
"overlay_processors":"minecraft:fossil_coal",
"overlay_structures":[
"minecraft:fossil/spine_1_coal",
"minecraft:fossil/spine_2_coal",
"minecraft:fossil/spine_3_coal",
"minecraft:fossil/spine_4_coal",
"minecraft:fossil/skull_1_coal",
"minecraft:fossil/skull_2_coal",
"minecraft:fossil/skull_3_coal",
"minecraft:fossil/skull_4_coal"
]
}
}

The placement of fossil is hardcoded (for its lowest point) with 2 steps in order:

1. It takes minimum value between OCEAN_FLOOR_WG heightmap and original placement position;
2. It takes maximum value between 10 blocks above bottom of the world and placement position from first step minus 15-24 (randomly).

Issues relating to "Fossil" are maintained on the bug tracker. Issues should be reported and viewed there.

• Hidden in the structure NBT is data that credits ProfMobius with the creation of the fossils.

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• 👁 A fossil that generated inside a cave.
  
  A fossil that generated inside a cave.
• 👁 Excavating the fossil.
  
  Excavating the fossil.
• 👁 All skull and spine structures, excluding those made of coal ore.
  
  All skull and spine structures, excluding those made of coal ore.
• 👁 Fossil generated on a superflat world. Some bone blocks are removed/replaced with coal ores.
  
  Fossil generated on a superflat world. Some bone blocks are removed/replaced with coal ores.
• 👁 A fossil that has been excavated.
  
  A fossil that has been excavated.
• 👁 A partially excavated fossil underground.
  
  A partially excavated fossil underground.
• 👁 A fossil whose bone block is partly replaced by deepslate diamond ore.
  
  A fossil whose bone block is partly replaced by deepslate diamond ore.
• 👁 The smallest skull fossil and largest spine fossil together compared to the largest mob, the ender dragon.
  
  The smallest skull fossil and largest spine fossil together compared to the largest mob, the ender dragon.
• 👁 The same from above.
  
  The same from above.
• 👁 Many fossils that have generated on a superflat world in a swamp biome.
  
  Many fossils that have generated on a superflat world in a swamp biome.
• 👁 A fossil that has generated underwater, inside an underwater ravine.
  
  A fossil that has generated underwater, inside an underwater ravine.
• 👁 A fossil that generated mid-air in a flooded cave.
  
  A fossil that generated mid-air in a flooded cave.
• 👁 A fossil generated at the bottom of an ocean.
  
  A fossil generated at the bottom of an ocean.
• 👁 A fossil generated in an ocean ravine.
  
  A fossil generated in an ocean ravine.
• 👁 Another fossil generated at the bottom of an ocean.
  
  Another fossil generated at the bottom of an ocean.
• 👁 A fossil that generated just below the seafloor.
  
  A fossil that generated just below the seafloor.
• 👁 A fossil generated partially exposed to air in a desert biome.
  
  A fossil generated partially exposed to air in a desert biome.
• 👁 A fossil generated in a trial chamber.
  
  A fossil generated in a trial chamber.

• Feature
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  Nether fossil