Ancient Egypt, the setting of Assassin’s Creed Origins, is a colossal and meticulously detailed world that birthed the Assassin Brotherhood. As Bayek of Siwa, the last Medjay, players navigate the Ptolemaic era, encountering Pharaohs, Cleopartra, and the secretive workings of the Order of the Ancients. Beyond the primary narrative and the vast open deserts, the game’s deepest secrets lie buried beneath the sands: within hidden tombs, behind elaborate puzzle mechanisms, and scattered as rare collectible artifacts. This comprehensive guide will illuminate the exact methods for exploring every unmarked crypt, securing the most powerful Ancient Mechanism gear, and collecting the crucial resources that reveal the full lore of the time.
The Architect’s Secret: Hidden Tombs and Puzzle Mechanisms
Tombs are the cornerstone of exploration in Assassin’s Creed Origins, providing valuable loot, Ancient Tablets for skill points, and narrative context. However, many of the deepest and most rewarding tombs are intentionally obscured or require solving complex physics-based puzzles.
The Tomb of the Nomad (Unmarked Entrance)
This tomb is often completely missed as its entrance is subtle and typically requires finding a specific, unmarked cave entrance hidden by palm trees or rock formations in the remote deserts of the map. Unlike others, this tomb often holds a significant amount of Drachma and rare crafting materials, essential for maximizing Bayek’s gear quality early on.
The Eesfet Oasis Tomb Puzzle
Located in the desolate Faiyum region, this tomb is accessible but contains a hidden loot room locked by a difficult physics puzzle. Players must carefully maneuver weighted objects (usually sacks of sand or stone blocks) onto pressure plates or manipulate counterweights to open the secret door, rewarding a high-tier weapon or shield. This is a purely intellectual challenge designed for dedicated explorers.
The Tomb of the First Civilization (Ancient Mechanisms)
Scattered across the map are specific tombs containing Ancient Mechanisms. Activating these requires Silica—a rare collectible—and each one unlocks a deep piece of Isu lore. The ultimate payoff is finding the final, unmarked mechanism that activates the legendary Isu Armor set, one of the most powerful and secretive pieces of gear in the game.
Powering Up: Silica and the Isu Armor Set
Silica is the most critical and rare collectible in Origins, as it is the fuel source for the Ancient Mechanisms. Collecting enough of it is a required, hidden pursuit to unlock the game’s ultimate secrets.
High-Concentration Silica Locations
Silica is primarily found in Ancient Mechanisms tombs, but some locations hold much higher concentrations, rewarding meticulous searching:
- The Great Sphinx: The hidden area beneath the Sphinx, accessible later in the game, contains a significant, single Silica cache.
- Unmarked Deep Pits: Certain non-map-marked sinkholes or deep desert wells often contain a few pieces of Silica at the bottom, rewarding players who risk dangerous falls or deep dives.
- The Final Tomb: The tomb containing the Isu Armor itself requires approximately 50 pieces of Silica to activate the final mechanism, forcing players to methodically clear every major tomb in the game.
The Collector’s Hunt: Finding Papyrus and Astronomical Secrets
Beyond raw power, two key collectible types unlock important lore and unique rewards.
Papyrus Scrolls and Hidden Loot
The Papyrus Scrolls act as the game’s most challenging environmental riddles. Each scroll contains a cryptic message, often a poem or a short descriptive passage, that hints at a specific, unmarked location on the map. Successfully finding the exact spot described in the riddle rewards Bayek with a Legendary piece of gear (weapon, shield, or armor). This pursuit is purely based on visual observation and geographical knowledge.
Star Charts and Celestial Puzzles
In select desert areas, particularly in the Siwa and Qattara Depression regions, players can find unmarked star charts or specific stone circles. Interacting with these at night allows Bayek to solve a celestial puzzle by aligning the constellation with the stars in the sky. Completing these challenges often leads to a secret lore entry about the Isu or grants a high-value skill point.
Conclusion: The Secrets of the Sands
Assassin’s Creed Origins is a masterclass in rewarding curiosity. The true narrative and power peak for Bayek is reached not just by following the main story, but by venturing into the deepest Hidden Tombs for Silica, solving the difficult Papyrus riddles for Legendary gear, and ultimately collecting enough resources to power the Ancient Mechanisms and claim the incredible Isu Armor. This hidden pursuit is the essence of Bayek’s final journey.
GGC