Artifacts are manmade objects, sometimes referred to as material remains, that are recovered during the excavation process. Pot shards, intact pots, rubbing stones and arrowheads are examples of artifacts collected and catalogued during excavations of Catawba tribal lands. Other evidence of human activity, including fire pits, food items, waste products and structural foundations are also artifacts. Context, or how artifacts are found in association with other artifacts during an excavation, is an important factor in determining how an artifact was used and when it was produced. For example, a Catawba pot shard found in combination with a colonial piece of China might suggest the pot was made, lost or discarded in the colonial era.