Pots, Pans, and People explores material culture and human adaptations to nature over time. Material culture refers to the artifacts, tools, instruments, and other objects that people use to adapt to their environment —in this case, primarily ceramics. Cultural ecology studies the behaviors that allow people to live and thrive in a particular natural setting, as well as their knowledge (and use) of specific resources and landscapes. Williams also explores the role of ethnoarchaeology and ethnohistory as key elements of a broad research strategy that seeks to understand human interaction with nature over time.