wattle construction

Wattle construction is a technique used in both building and basketry. In building, it involves weaving vertical wooden stakes with horizontal twigs and branches, then covering them with clay or mud to create walls, a method known as wattle and daub. This technique is ancient and was used in Iron Age dwellings and medieval half-timbered houses.1

In basketry, wattle construction uses rigid, passive standards held together by flexible threads. There are three subtypes: bound (or wrapped), twined, and woven (or wickerwork). The twined type, where threads twist around the standards, is particularly useful for creating strong, spaced structures like fish traps and hurdles. Woven wattlework, also known as wickerwork, is common in European and African basketry.23