Desert Temple
Desert temples are structures primarily made up of sandstone that occur naturally in deserts. Most often, they generate at ground level, but occasionally they can be almost fully buried in sand, with one of the towers flush with the sand. They are the only source of enchantment tables, and also have hidden chests that can contain gold armor and emeralds.
Desert temples within 2250 blocks of spawn will be looted, meaning they have no enchantment table and their loot chests contain only basic items like bones and rotten flesh.
Contents
Structure
Desert Temples mostly consist of obsidian, sandstone, chiseled sandstone, smooth sandstone and sandstone stairs. In the middle of the temple is an enchantment table. Underneath this enchantment table is a secret chamber with 4 chests and a wooden pressure plate connected to a 3x3x1 grid of powder kegs. In a looted temple, the enchantment table is be missing and there is a hole in the floor with ladders leading down to the chests.
Strategy
When attempting to access the chests, the player must take care not to step on or drop any items on the pressure plate at the bottom of the pit. Just below the sandstone are 9 powder kegs - touching the pressure plate will activate them, killing the player unless properly protected, and destroying all four of the chests, including their loot. This will most likely also destroy the player's dropped equipment if any one of the nine powder kegs explodes after the player has died (highly likely). It is ill-advised to enter the treasure chamber by breaking the central obsidian, or any of the eight surrounding blocks. Instead it is best to dig down to the side, and then break the pressure plate when it comes into reach. Be sure when breaking in that none of the blocks you mine fall into the chamber, since they can land on the pressure plate and activate it.
Trivia
- The obsidian symbols found resembles the Ancient Egyptian symbol for Life,<ref>http://www.perankhgroup.com/education.htm</ref> an Ankh,<ref>Ankh on Wikipedia.</ref> or a Tyet.<ref>Tyet on Wikipedia.</ref>
- Rotten flesh and bones are common items found in chests within temples; it may be suggested that these are the remains of the previous occupants, or possibly mummies buried with their treasure, a common Egyptian practice for pharaohs.
- A desert temple is the first structure where powder kegs can be found naturally.
- As there is no light in the lower chamber, mobs can spawn inside and trigger the explosive trap, destroying the chests and loot before any player can reach it.
