Study of organic residues on pottery is made possible by advances in chromatography. One problem, completeness of extraction, is addressed by use of appropriate solvents. A second problem, identifying the components, is addressed by advances in instrumentation; still, sometimes only a general source can be identified. Exchange with surrounding soils seems to vary depending on age and ground conditions; this suggests the importance of analyzing surrounding soil. Charring apparently protects some organic residues. Fats, unfortunately, do tend to decompose, rendering identification difficult. A couple of examples illustrate the usefulness of organic residues data to archaeological studies.