Natalia Rozumovska

What people wore

Cost of Peasant Clothing

In the 17th century, a complete set of Ukrainian peasant clothing—including a shirt, wide trousers, a coat, and a sheepskin jacket—was valued at approximately 26.5 zlotys. Women's clothing, often more elaborate, was typically valued at nearly double that amount, around 52 zlotys.

Daily life

Home heating and cooking arrangements

Peasant homes were often smoke-filled, as many were built without chimneys, meaning smoke had to escape through openings in the roof. Wealthier homes and urban dwellings were more likely to feature separate kitchens to isolate cooking from living areas.

Work

Labor Obligations and Panshchyna Service

Peasants often owed labor services known as panshchyna, which could require working on the lord's land multiple days a week, sometimes including the use of their own horses or oxen.

Music

Wandering theater and feast days

Common people attended wandering theater performances often tied to church feast days, especially during Holy Week. These performances were led by students or graduates of church schools who solicited food and money from the audience.

At the table

Cossack dietary staples and habits

Cossack soldiers typically ate simple, communal meals like salamakha, a liquid dish made from boiled millet and flour water, often served from small wooden troughs using wooden spoons. When possible, they supplemented their diet with pork scraps, boiled fish, and various cereals like teterya cooked with milk or fat.

Getting around

Common Modes of Transportation

Ordinary people typically traveled on foot or by horse-drawn carts and wagons, while wealthy individuals used carriages. Waterways were also used for travel, providing a faster and more comfortable alternative to land routes.

What it cost

Tax paid in yarn or money

In the late 17th century, village peasants sometimes provided yarn as a tax or could instead pay 40 groszy for it.