Anna Potocka

What people wore

Peasant Wardrobe Retention

In 1613, a married peasant couple’s clothing included shirts, sheepskin coats, headcloths, and leather shoes, showing that families often retained and reused older items alongside new ones.

Daily life

Modest wooden peasant homes

Peasant homes were modest wooden farmhouses, with some in Samogitia using a numas with an open central fireplace for cooking and heating. Others used stoves, sometimes without chimneys, which released smoke directly into the living space.

Work

Mandatory serfdom labor requirements

Peasants were required to perform compulsory serfdom labor on noble estates for two to three days each week.

Music

Stryjanka dance at home

The stryjanka dance, performed at home to the accompaniment of a violin, consisted of a stately march followed by a lively mazurka.

At the table

High daily peasant beer consumption

In the 16th century, Polish peasants consumed substantial amounts of beer, often drinking between 1 and 1.5 liters per day.

Getting around

Common means of travel between towns

People traveled mainly by horseback, in horse-drawn carriages such as the covered kocz or kolasa, or on foot. River transport was also used as a popular alternative due to the poor condition of land roads.

What it cost

Cost of Bread and Shoes

Basic items were affordable: bread cost less than one grosz, and a pair of shoes ranged from 9 to 24 grosze in the 17th century. In 1671, the price of a pair of shoes reached 19.1 grosze.