Two whisky crates that have been encased in ice for more than 100 years will be open by the end of the week.
A team from the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust is heading towards Sir Ernest Shackleton's hut at Cape Royds to carry out the excavation.
Trust executive director Nigel Watson says they will cut through ice to retrieve the crates that were spotted by chance three years ago.
It is unclear whether they contain the rare scotch whisky or other items.
The excavation will uncover about 5000 objects left behind by the British explorer and his team when they departed hastily in 1909.
Mr Watson says conservation of the Antarctic site is the team's top priority
