Foodways is the understanding of cultures through the study of how food was (or is) obtained, stored, distributed, prepared, and consumed. To help interpret the everyday lives of English colonists at Jamestown, and their interactions with Native Americans both inside and outside of the fort, researchers examine a wide range of food-related materials. These items include: first hand accounts; tools and agricultural practices; bones of animals consumed; cooking, storage, and serving vessels; and food residues on ceramics.