Earth has been a very common building material through History and since prehistoric times. Therefore, earth construction remains are frequently found in archaeological contexts, although they are rarely considered as valuable sources of information. This sort of materiality encloses crucial information, not only related to the mud material itself. Samples of architectural mud recovered from three Copper Age sites located in the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula have preserved imprints with features which provide information related to raw materials used as structural timber and to their state before its use. During the macroscopical analysis of prehistoric earth construction elements indirect evidence of wood biodegradation has been observed. In the mud surface traces related with the action of xylophagous insects and even with the possible use of rotten wood have been identified. Their presence suggests that decayed wood was used as building material, wood degradation that occurred before being put on place. This evidence raises several questions in relation to timber selection and procurement. This study, as a transversal methodological contribution, aims to raise awareness on the informative potential of these often-neglected archaeological materials and the features present on them, as valuable sources of information on past societies. The integration of organic and inorganic evidence is needed to fully understand wood management and building techniques developed by prehistoric communities.

自史前时代以来，地球一直是一种非常常见的建筑材料。因此，在考古环境中经常发现土建遗迹，尽管它们很少被视为有价值的信息来源。这种物质包含了重要的信息，不仅与泥浆材料本身有关。从位于伊比利亚半岛东南部的三个铜器时代遗址中回收的建筑泥样本保存了具有特征的印记，这些印记提供了与用作结构木材的原材料及其使用前状态相关的信息。在对史前土建元素的宏观分析过程中，已经观察到木材生物降解的间接证据。在泥浆表面发现了与食木虫活动有关的痕迹，甚至与腐烂木材的使用有关。它们的存在表明腐烂的木材被用作建筑材料，木材在放置之前就发生了退化。这一证据提出了与木材选择和采购有关的几个问题。这项研究作为横向方法论的贡献，旨在提高人们对这些经常被忽视的考古材料的信息潜力及其存在的特征的认识，将其作为过去社会的宝贵信息来源。需要有机和无机证据的整合才能充分了解史前社区开发的木材管理和建筑技术。它们的存在表明腐烂的木材被用作建筑材料，木材在放置之前就发生了退化。这一证据提出了与木材选择和采购有关的几个问题。这项研究作为横向方法论的贡献，旨在提高人们对这些经常被忽视的考古材料的信息潜力及其存在的特征的认识，将其作为过去社会的宝贵信息来源。需要有机和无机证据的整合才能充分了解史前社区开发的木材管理和建筑技术。它们的存在表明腐烂的木材被用作建筑材料，木材在放置之前就发生了退化。这一证据提出了与木材选择和采购有关的几个问题。这项研究作为横向方法论的贡献，旨在提高人们对这些经常被忽视的考古材料的信息潜力及其存在的特征的认识，将其作为过去社会的宝贵信息来源。需要有机和无机证据的整合才能充分了解史前社区开发的木材管理和建筑技术。旨在提高人们对这些经常被忽视的考古材料的信息潜力及其存在的特征的认识，将其作为过去社会的宝贵信息来源。需要有机和无机证据的整合才能充分了解史前社区开发的木材管理和建筑技术。旨在提高人们对这些经常被忽视的考古材料的信息潜力及其存在的特征的认识，将其作为过去社会的宝贵信息来源。需要有机和无机证据的整合才能充分了解史前社区开发的木材管理和建筑技术。