Excavation

Excavation is a licence that unlocks digging-related gameplay. It allows the player to buy and use shovels, making it the first step toward moving dirt and sand and toward using Metal Detecting to search for buried treasure and items around the island.

To begin excavating, the player must purchase the Excavation Licence from Fletch and then buy a shovel from Shop Deed. Once those two requirements are met, the player can start digging in terrain and use the shovel for general landscaping and item recovery. The licence sits directly before Metal Detecting in progression: purchasing Excavation Licence 1 unlocks the Metal Detecting Licence, which in turn allows the player to buy a metal detector. At higher Metal Detecting licence levels, buried items can even be noticed using sight alone.

Practical notes:

• Excavation is the gateway licence for all shovel use.
• The shovel is sold at John's Goods.
• Metal Detecting depends on having Excavation Licence 1 first.
• The metal detector is also sold at John's Goods.
• Excavation is useful both for terrain work and for finding buried loot.

Because the licence is so closely tied to treasure hunting, it is one of the earliest licences that meaningfully changes how the player explores the island. It also complements other island-management activities, since digging can help clear space, reshape land, and uncover buried objects that would otherwise be missed.