Installation Guide

Step-by-step setup for every platform, the dependencies each loader needs and fixes for the errors players hit most.

Installation guide

Pick your platform and follow the steps in order. Most setups take under ten minutes.

Install Java 17 (64-bit) from Adoptium or use the runtime bundled with the Minecraft Launcher.
Download the Forge 1.20.1 installer or the Fabric installer and run it. Choose Install client.
Press Win + R, type %appdata%\.minecraft and open the mods folder. Create it if missing.
Copy the Fossils and Archeology .jar plus Architectury, GeckoLib, More Hitboxes and TerraBlender (and Fabric API on Fabric) into it.
Open the Minecraft Launcher, select the Forge or Fabric profile and press Play.

Install Java 17 for your chip (Apple Silicon or Intel).
Run the Forge or Fabric installer. If macOS blocks it, right-click the file and choose Open.
In Finder press Cmd + Shift + G and go to ~/Library/Application Support/minecraft/mods.
Drop the mod and every dependency .jar into the folder.
Launch the matching profile from the Minecraft Launcher.

Install OpenJDK 17 with your package manager, for example sudo apt install openjdk-17-jre.
Run the loader installer with java -jar installer.jar and install the client.
Open ~/.minecraft/mods (create it if needed).
Copy the mod and all dependencies into the folder.
Start the launcher, pick the loader profile and play. Prism Launcher also works well.

Install a Java Edition launcher such as PojavLauncher from its official source. You must own Minecraft Java Edition.
Sign in with your Microsoft account inside the launcher.
Install Fabric 1.20.1 from the launcher's mod-loader installer.
Copy the Fabric build of the mod and its dependencies into the launcher's mods folder.
Set render distance to 6 chunks, allocate as much RAM as the device allows and launch.

Using the Modrinth App or CurseForge app? Search for the mod inside the app and it installs every dependency automatically. See our Modrinth guide.

What your PC needs to run Minecraft with this mod comfortably. Numbers assume a modern 1.20.1 setup.

Component	Minimum	Recommended
Game	Minecraft Java Edition	Minecraft Java Edition
Java	Java 17	Java 17 (64-bit)
OS	Windows 10, macOS 11, Ubuntu 20.04	Windows 11, macOS 13+, recent Linux
CPU	Dual-core 2.5 GHz	Quad-core 3.5 GHz or better
RAM	4 GB allocated to Minecraft	6 to 8 GB allocated
GPU	OpenGL 3.2 with 1 GB VRAM	OpenGL 4.4 with 2 GB VRAM
Storage	500 MB free for game and mods	2 GB free for packs and worlds
Internet	Only to download files	Needed for servers and updates

Legacy 1.12.2 and 1.7.10 builds need Java 8 instead of Java 17. See our 1.12.2 guide for details.

Most problems come from versions or dependencies. Find your symptom and apply the fix.

Common error	Fix
Game crashes on launch	A dependency is missing or the wrong version. Install Architectury, GeckoLib, More Hitboxes and TerraBlender (plus Fabric API on Fabric) for your exact game version.
Mod does not appear in the list	The file sits in the wrong folder or the loader profile was not selected. Put the .jar in the mods folder of the active instance and launch the Forge or Fabric profile.
No fossils underground	Fossil blocks only generate in new chunks. Explore unvisited areas or start a fresh world after installing.
Low FPS near herds	Too many large creatures are loaded at once. Spread them across enclosures, lower render distance and allocate more RAM.
Cannot join a server	Client and server versions differ. Match the mod and every dependency version exactly on both sides.

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