Cast iron vessels would have been a common and necessary item for preparing foods in the Williams household. Whether frying, baking, or making stews, a sturdy cast iron pot would have served well for cooking many types of foods. At the Williams Farmstead, multiple cast iron vessel fragments were recovered. This photo shows fragments of a dutch oven of the spider type, which had long tripod legs that allowed the vessel to rest above the coals in an open fire or fireplace. Handles are present on some of the cast iron fragments, suggesting the Williamses had a variety of cast iron cooking vessels.