"North Devon Pottery and Its Export to America in the 17th Century" by C. Malcolm Watkins shows that pottery shards found archeologically in colonial sites serve multiple purposes. They help to date the sites; they reflect cultural and economic levels in the areas of their use; and they throw light on manufacture, trade, and distribution. The lives of colonialists can't be fully reconstructed by pottery remains, but it's a start that allows readers a look into the past.