Why do we need to weigh burned daub? Destruction of wattle-and-daub houses and the internal chronology of Neolithic sites

Abstract This paper presents a newly developed model that links the destruction processes of wattle-and-daub houses and the internal chronology of sites. By examining the weight and spatial distribution of burned daub, our model explicates the relative chronological sequence of the structures and nearby associated features. A three-step analytical procedure allows for the specification and self-checking of model outcomes. We verify the model by its application to data from Mrowino site 3 (western Poland) and confirm its utility for re-assessing the sequence of Funnel Beaker culture settlement structures. The obtained results are confirmed by previous work detailing the stratigraphy of pits, the distribution and seriation of pottery and radiocarbon dating.