Archaeology is a secondary profession that will be released in the upcoming expansion, World of Warcraft: Cataclysm.
- Focused on locating artifacts unearthed by the cataclysm.
- Interacting with an artifact you find is similar to other gathering professions. It has been specifically stated that you will be able to track both Artifacts and your regular "tracking" for gathering professions.
- Artifacts will go into a new artifact journal instead of your inventory.
- Placing an artifact in your journal will allow you to "study" it and progressively unlock new rewards.
- Unlocks unique rewards such as vanity pets.
- Unlocks paths in the Paths of the Titans system. This will give players a tool to change their characters even more than regular talents.
- A mock-up of the Archaeology interface is presented as a journal, with a listing of artifacts, relics, and related reagents and tasks, as well as artwork and a description for each relic. Artifacts are also given a "black market value", indicating that they can perhaps be sold for profit. There has been an indication that your journal may come with some form of "mini-game" to study findings.
Rewards
Some rewards that were confirmed on the DTV PPV interview are additional glyph slots, new recipes for professions, and occasionally, money.
