These small fragments of Native American pottery (called sherds) are typical of those found at Woodland period archaeological sites. Pottery was first made in southern New England around 3,000 years ago and remained an important part of food preparation until European trade goods became widely available in the late 1600’s. New England’s tribes made many types of pottery, some with complex decorations. Changes in the shape of pottery vessels and the style of decoration can help archaeologists determine how old a pot is and even which group made it. These sherds were found at Site 22-33.