Some unearthed close by (4)
I believe the answer is:
near
'close by' is the definition.
(near means close by)
'some unearthed' is the wordplay.
'some' indicates the answer is hidden within the clue (some parts of the word are used).
'NEAR' is hidden in the letters of 'unearthed'.
(Other definitions for near that I've seen before include "Tight-fisted" , "Close at hand" , "Close - tight" , "unlikely to spend much?" , "Not far distant in time or space etc." .)