Catherine of Sweden, Countess Palatine of Kleeburg

What people wore

Functional accessories on belts

Both men and women wore belts where they carried practical items, including leather pouches and knives, and women specifically kept farm keys on theirs.

Daily life

Cramped winter living with livestock

In winter, peasant families lived in a single room with their young animals; infants slept in hanging wooden cradles, and other children slept near the baking oven for warmth. Households often kept the door threshold very high to keep young livestock inside the room.

Work

Common jobs for ordinary people

The most common jobs were agricultural work as servants or wage laborers, including tasks like threshing, fencing, and animal husbandry, as well as production of tar, charcoal, and wooden objects.

Music

Instruments for song and dance

Common instruments used by people for singing and dancing included the flute, drum, fiddle, lute, and bagpipe.

At the table

Daily Diet of Ordinary Families

Ordinary families typically ate two meals a day, consisting of staples like porridge, bread, cabbage, peas, turnips, and various fish or meat. Beer was a standard drink consumed by people of all ages, often starting in the morning.

Getting around

Winter travel by sledge and guest house

Travelers often used sledges during winter, as road conditions were frequently difficult due to deep snow and ice. Hiring horses and drivers for these sledges was managed through a system of guest houses located about every two Swedish miles.

What it cost

Price of bread and meat in Ångermanland

In Ångermanland, a single loaf of bread was valued at 2 öre, while 1 liter of meat cost 24 öre.