macOS
Homebrew Caskverified · 100%
brew install --cask archaeologylocal Homebrew cask metadata
cask
Install archaeology with Homebrew Cask
Tool for digging into binary files. Version 1.8,357 via Homebrew Cask; verified from local package data.
install
Additional install commands
overview
Package summary
Tool for digging into binary files
Project links
Commands and aliases
- trowel
history
Project history and usage
Archaeology is a macOS utility for recursively identifying and decoding binary file formats, including many Apple-specific structures.
Project history
Mothers Ruin Software created Archaeology as an internal debugging utility before making it publicly available. Its decoders combine public platform APIs with reverse engineering for formats that lack public specifications or APIs. The official release history documents continuing updates for changes in macOS binary formats.
Adoption history
The developers originally built Archaeology for their own product debugging and day-to-day macOS investigations. They released it publicly after repeatedly finding the internal tool useful, while continuing to characterize it as deliberately niche.
How it is used
Users open or drag a file into Archaeology, inspect its decoded representation, and recursively decode embedded data. Values can be searched, copied, exported, hashed, or opened in a hex editor. The bundled trowel command-line tool can ask the GUI to open a path.
Why package nerds care
Archaeology consolidates inspection of numerous nested, obscure, or Apple-specific binary formats into one native interface. It is particularly relevant to macOS developers, reverse engineers, and packaging specialists investigating bundles, code signatures, receipts, provisioning profiles, property lists, and Mach-O binaries.
Timeline
- The project began as an internal debugging tool at Mothers Ruin Software.
- 2025: Version 1.5 was released with support for newer URL Bookmark formats.
Related projects
- trowel
- Apparency
- Legion
Sources
security posture
No protected-tool coverage found yet
No matching local secret-handling manifest was found for archaeology. Package metadata is still published here so future coverage has a stable package URL.
Install behavior
- No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
- No Homebrew bottle metadata was recorded.
Recommended review
Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.
executables
Installed executables
| Command | Kind | Exposure | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
trowel | binary | Homebrew cask binary | trowel |
freshness
Version and freshness
These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.
page generated2026-11-04
manager version1.8,357
manager updated
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected
https://www.mothersruin.com/software/Archaeology/
- infoNo package-manager update timestamp was available.low confidence
- infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://www.mothersruin.com/software/Archaeology/none confidence
install metadata
Package metadata
| Package key | cask:archaeology |
|---|---|
| Version | 1.8,357 |
| Package manager | Homebrew Cask |
| Package manager page | https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/archaeology |
| Homepage | https://www.mothersruin.com/software/Archaeology/ |
| Upstream docs | https://www.mothersruin.com/software/Archaeology/ |
| Source archive | https://www.mothersruin.com/software/downloads/Archaeology.dmg |
| SHA-256 | no_check |
| Bottle | not recorded |
| Homebrew post-install | not defined |
| Service | none declared |
registry facts
Source database details
| Source Database | Homebrew cask API |
|---|---|
| Tap | homebrew/cask |
| Full Token | archaeology |
| Names |
|
| Depends On | |
| Artifacts | |
| Deprecated | no |
| Disabled | no |
source trail
Generated from repository data
This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.
Combined YAML source
View the package source record on GitHub.
Used sources
- cross-ecosystem install command graph
- curated package history
- package relationship graph
- package version freshness
- package-page enrichment
- pkgdb category and tag curation