Let me paint the picture: you crack open a chest on some lonely sky island, Link pulls out a crumbling scrap of parchment, and a big X appears on your Depths map thousands of meters below. That’s an Old Map, and it’s one of my favorite threads in Tears of the Kingdom.
So here’s the deal: there are 31 of them, and every one points to a Depths chest holding rare armor or gear. Below you’ll find how the system works, every treasure and where it sits in the Depths, and which ones make you fight for it.
How Old Maps Work
- Where they are: Old Maps sit in treasure chests on sky islands. Some are out in the open, some sit behind small puzzles, and some are guarded by Constructs.
- What they do: Picking one up marks an X on your Depths map at the matching treasure chest.
- How many: 31 in total, one per Depths treasure.
- The map is optional: You can open a Depths chest without ever finding its Old Map. If you already looted it, the map simply won’t mark anything.
When I first figured that last part out, it changed how I played. The maps are hints, not keys, so explore in whatever order you like.
The Old Map Loop
- Step 1: Explore the sky archipelagos and open every chest, including the ones on tiny out of the way islands.
- Step 2: If a Construct guards the island, deal with it first. Bring food and spare weapons.
- Step 3: Grab the map and check your Depths map for the new X.
- Step 4: Dive through the nearest chasm and light your way to the X. Lightroots along the way give you fast travel points.
- Step 5: If the chest sits in a coliseum or boss den, clear the fight first, then open it.
(Look, I get it, the Depths are dark and grim. Stack Brightbloom Seeds and you’ll be fine.)
All 31 Old Map Treasures
Here’s every Depths treasure the Old Maps point to. Many complete classic Link outfits from across the series, which is where the worldbuilding gets fun.
| Treasure | Depths location | Guarded? |
|---|---|---|
| Cap of the Hero | Tuft Canyon Mine | No |
| Tunic of the Hero | Dueling Canyons Mine | No |
| Trousers of the Hero | Corvash Canyon Mine | No |
| Sword of the Hero | Dalite Grove | No |
| Cap of the Sky | Retsam Grove | No |
| Tunic of the Sky | Minshi Grove | No |
| Trousers of the Sky | Crenel Canyon Mine | No |
| Cap of the Wild | Hebra Dark Skeleton | No |
| Tunic of the Wild | Gerudo Dark Skeleton | No |
| Trousers of the Wild | Eldin Dark Skeleton | No |
| Cap of Time | Sturnida Lavafalls | No |
| Tunic of Time | Lindor Canyon Mine | No |
| Trousers of Time | Gerudo Canyon Mine | No |
| Cap of the Wind | Davdi Island Depths | No |
| Tunic of the Wind | Cuho Canyon Mine | No |
| Trousers of the Wind | Cresia Pit Mine | No |
| Cap of Twilight | Gleeok Den | King Gleeok |
| Tunic of Twilight | Rist Mine | No |
| Trousers of Twilight | Ancient Underground Fortress | No |
| Miner’s Mask | Abandoned Kara Kara Mine | No |
| Miner’s Top | Daphnes Canyon Mine | No |
| Miner’s Trousers | Hylia Canyon Mine | No |
| Ravio’s Hood | Secluded Coliseum | Consecutive battles |
| Majora’s Mask | Floating Coliseum | Five Lynel battles |
| Midna’s Helmet | Lone Island Coliseum | Consecutive battles |
| Zant’s Helmet | Scorching Coliseum | Consecutive battles |
| Sheik’s Mask | Desert Coliseum | Consecutive battles |
| Korok Mask | Forest Coliseum | Black Hinox |
| Biggoron’s Sword | Akkala House of Bones | Stalnox |
| Sea-Breeze Boomerang | Hebra Canyon Mine | No |
| Sea-Breeze Shield | Tabahl Grove | No |
Want to see them laid out? The TOTK interactive map covers the Depths too, so you can plan dives between nearby treasures.
The Fights Worth Preparing For
This is where it gets WILD. Most treasures just sit there, but eight of them make you earn it.
- Floating Coliseum (Majora’s Mask): Five Lynel fights back to back. The toughest treasure on the list. Bring your best weapons, fused arrows and a pile of healing.
- Gleeok Den (Cap of Twilight): King Gleeok, a three headed dragon boss. Keep elemental arrows ready for each head.
- Forest Coliseum (Korok Mask): A Black Hinox. Hit the eye, then punish while it’s stunned.
- Akkala House of Bones (Biggoron’s Sword): A Stalnox in the Depths below Skull Lake. Pop the eye, then smash the skeleton.
- The other coliseums: Secluded, Lone Island, Scorching and Desert all run consecutive battles before the center chest unlocks.
Lore Deep Dive: Why These Outfits Matter
The devs hid a love letter to the series in plain sight. Hero, Sky, Wild, Time, Wind and Twilight are each a full Link costume from a different Zelda game, and the masks and helmets nod to Majora, Midna, Zant, Sheik and Ravio. Most of them are buried under ruins, mines and old skeletons of the Depths, like history literally lying under Hyrule.
A few have practical perks too. The Korok Mask, for example, reacts when a Korok is nearby, which is a big help if you’re also chasing Korok seeds.
Tips for the Hunt
- Skip the map if you like: Know where a treasure is? Go straight there. The chest doesn’t care if you have the map.
- Group your dives: Several mines sit close together. Plan one trip to clear two or three.
- Light up Lightroots: Each one is a warp point and removes a lot of the Depths’ danger.
- Pace yourself: Two or three maps a session keeps it fun. Anyway, the sky islands aren’t going anywhere.
Old Maps FAQ
How many Old Maps are in Tears of the Kingdom?
31. Each one sits in a sky island chest and marks one treasure chest in the Depths.
Do you need the Old Map to open the Depths chest?
No. You can open any Depths treasure chest without its map. If you already have the treasure, the map won’t mark anything.
Which Old Map treasure is the hardest to get?
Majora’s Mask in the Floating Coliseum, which needs five Lynel fights in a row. King Gleeok’s Cap of Twilight is a close second.
What do Old Map treasures give you?
Mostly classic Link outfits (Hero, Sky, Wild, Time, Wind, Twilight), plus masks, the Miner’s set, Biggoron’s Sword and the Sea-Breeze Boomerang and Shield.
The Payoff: 31 maps, 31 trips into the dark, and a wardrobe that spans the whole series. Take it one X at a time, and enjoy the dive. Head to the Tears of the Kingdom guide hub for more Depths and sky guides.
