Hello, and welcome to my comprehensive guide on how to clean and use fossils in Old School RuneScape (OSRS). Whether you're looking to gain kudos at the Varrock Museum, earn valuable experience points (XP), or make use of fossils for other rewards, this guide will walk you through every step of the process. We will cover the requirements for cleaning fossils, how to gather them efficiently, and what to do with them once they're cleaned. Let's dive right in!

Requirements

Before we start cleaning and using fossils, there are a few requirements you need to meet:

1.Completion of the "Bone Voyage" Quest: This quest unlocks access to Fossil Island, where all fossil-related activities occur.

2.Construction Level:

Level 5 Construction is required to clean fossils at the Archaeologist's cleaning bench on Fossil Island.

Level 21 Construction is required to build the bank chest, which will allow you to easily access your items while working on the island.

3.Materials for Construction:

Archaeologist’s Cleaning Bench: You'll need a hammer, 5 planks, and 5 nails.

Bank Chest: You'll need a hammer, 2 oak planks, an iron bar, and 5 nails.

Now that we've covered the basics, let's move on to how you can gather unidentified fossils.

Gathering Unidentified Fossils

Fossils in OSRS can be obtained through various skilling methods and activities on Fossil Island. Here's how to collect them:

1. Bird House Runs

While doing bird house runs on Fossil Island, you can hunt herbivores, which will occasionally drop fossils. This method, however, requires level 31 Hunter and Herblore, which may not be ideal for everyone, especially lower-level players. It’s a more passive way of obtaining fossils, meaning you can collect them while doing other tasks like bird house runs or hunting for resources.

2. Cutting Sulliuscep Mushrooms

The best method for obtaining fossils is cutting down Sulliuscep mushrooms in the Tar Swamp area. This method requires level 65 Woodcutting, and it is recommended to have decent Hitpoints and Prayer levels to survive the various swamp creatures. Cutting down Sulliuscep mushrooms is the fastest way to gather fossils and also provides over 100,000 Woodcutting XP per hour, making it a highly efficient method for players looking to train while gathering fossils.

Cleaning Fossils

Now that you've gathered your fossils, the next step is cleaning them. To do this, follow these steps:

1.Construct the Archaeologist’s Cleaning Bench: Use a hammer, 5 planks, and 5 nails to build the cleaning bench on Fossil Island.

2.Grab a Cleaning Kit: You can find a cleaning kit in the crate next to the bench. The kit includes:

Leather gloves

Boots

A trowel

A rock pick

A specimen brush

3.Equip the Gloves and Boots: These are needed to handle the fossils safely. Keep the remaining items in your inventory.

4.Obtain Fossils from the Bank or Storage: Fossils can be stored in a fossil storage on Fossil Island. Retrieve the fossils you wish to clean.

5.Use the Fossils on the Cleaning Bench: Place the fossils on the cleaning bench, and you will slowly clean the fossils, identifying them in the process.

Fossil Types

Unidentified fossils come in various sizes:

Small fossils

Medium fossils

Large fossils

Plant fossils

Note: Unidentified large fossils have a chance to either become large fossils or plant fossils after cleaning. Each type of fossil has a specific use, which we will explore next.

Using Cleaned Fossils

Once you've cleaned your fossils, there are two main uses for them: gaining XP lamps and kudos by donating fossils to the Varrock Museum or turning them into enriched bones for prayer XP.

1. Donating Fossils to the Varrock Museum

After cleaning your fossils, head to the Varrock Museum to make use of them.

Teleport to Varrock: You can use any Varrock teleport method and run to the museum located in the northeastern part of Varrock.

Enter the Museum Basement: Head downstairs to the area where the fossil displays are located.

Use Fossils on Displays: Match the cleaned fossils with the appropriate fossil displays. These displays are categorized by rarity, so make sure to match your fossils with the correct display.

Receive XP Lamps: For every display you complete, you will receive an XP lamp. The amount of XP you gain depends on the rarity of the fossil set:

-The rarer the fossil set, the more XP you will receive from the lamp.

Gain Kudos: Donating fossils to the museum also rewards kudos, which are needed to unlock various features in OSRS. To fill all the museum displays, you will need:

70 small fossils

60 medium fossils

25 large fossils

25 plant fossils

Once you've filled up all the displays, you can no longer donate fossils for XP lamps, but there are still other uses for the fossils.

2. Using Fossils in the Mycelium Pool

Another way to utilize fossils is by converting them into enriched bones at the Mycelium Pool, located in the northern part of the Mushroom Forest on Fossil Island. Here’s how it works:

Gather Supplies: You'll need Volcanic ash, Fungal algae, and Calcite, which can all be found on Fossil Island.

Use the Mycelium Pool: Place your cleaned fossils in the Mycelium Pool along with the supplies mentioned above. The fossils will be processed into enriched bones.

Bury the Enriched Bones: You can then bury the enriched bones for a considerable amount of Prayer XP. This method is particularly useful for players focusing on training Prayer.

Note: Plant fossils cannot be used in the Mycelium Pool, so you'll need to find other uses for them.

Trading Fossils for Numulites

If you'd prefer not to use fossils for XP or displays, you can also exchange them for numulites. Numulites are a form of currency used on Fossil Island. The Fossil Collector, located near the bank on Fossil Island, will accept your cleaned fossils in exchange for numulites. This is a quick and easy way to dispose of excess fossils and earn some numulites in return.

Cleaning and using fossils in OSRS is a valuable activity, offering a variety of rewards including XP lamps, kudos, and enriched bones. Whether you're aiming to complete the Varrock Museum fossil displays or simply looking to boost your Prayer level, the process is both engaging and rewarding. By following this guide, you’ll efficiently gather, clean, and use fossils to maximize your gains on Fossil Island. Happy skilling, and I hope this guide was helpful! If you have any further questions, feel free to drop a comment below.