Wattle and Daub- Nova Scotia, Canada
Institution: Dept. of Anthropology, St. Mary’s University
Province: Nova Scotia
Object: Brick
Era: 17th Century
Daub is a mix of mud, grasses, sand and other materials. It is used in conjunction with wattle, a basket-like infrastructure for building walls. Daub is smeared on to fully cover the wattle then protected with a coat of whitewash. Variations on wattle and daub are found in all cultures, including 17th century Acadia. These fragments were most likely related to the first structures built by early French settlers or the colonized Mi'kmaq that co-inhabited the area.
Wattle and daub structures are difficult to find in the archaeological record, especially since many structures were burned down during the French and Indian Wars. When mud is superheated, the mineral hematite transforms into the mineral magnetite. Therefore, scientists are able to identify fragments, like the one above, by using geophysical tools.
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