Archaeology1.7

Archaeology lets Mac users dig into binary files and examine data that is difficult to read with ordinary text-oriented tools. It provides a native way to investigate binary formats on macOS, particularly when a format is standardized but lacks a convenient macOS inspector. Users can turn to it when they need to inspect a file directly instead of interpreting its bytes through an awkward command-line workflow.

The formats in question include binary property lists, X.509 certificates, configuration and provisioning profiles, and App Store receipts. Binary property lists have broad tool support and are relatively easy to inspect, while certificates, profiles, and receipts may otherwise require command-line utilities that are cumbersome to use. Archaeology also covers less readily inspected formats such as compiled nibs and keyed archives, extending its usefulness beyond familiar property-list data.

The tool is aimed at Mac developers and other Mac users who need to understand the contents of these files during development, debugging, or technical investigation. It runs on macOS 14 Sonoma or later and supports both Intel and Apple Silicon hardware. Archaeology is freeware for macOS, and the current version is 1.7,306.