Wattle and Daub

An ancient technique of constructing buildings and fences in which branches or shaved lathes (wattles) are woven together and then plastered over with a variety of daubs – mud mixed with clay, chopped straw, cow dung, etc.  Such a wall must be protected from wet seeping in from above by a roof or covered by fired tiles topping a fence.  Plain, unplastered wattle walls are widely used in gardens, oftentimes made of willow branches or bamboo stakes