Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna of Russia

Getting around

Travel by horse-drawn relay transport

Between 1800 and 1824, ordinary people traveled between towns primarily using horse-drawn carriages, wagons, or sledges, often relying on the state-run relay system to secure fresh horses at designated postal stations. Travelers were required to carry an official permit called a podorozhnaya to document their route and status at these stations.

At the table

Kvass as the universal drink

Kvass, a fermented drink made from rye flour and malt, served as the universal daily beverage for the lower classes.

What people wore

Protective patches in peasant shirts

Peasant women stitched scarlet calico patches into the armpits of their linen shirts, serving as both decoration and an amulet to protect the body from unclean forces.

Music

Large communal round dances called khorovod

Ordinary people held khorovods, which were large communal round dances that could involve up to one hundred participants. These dances were often accompanied by a cappella singing, though in some southern regions, they featured instruments like small reed pipes called zhaleika, pan-flutes known as kugikly, and horns called rozhok.

Daily life

Lighting in the home

Peasant huts were illuminated by a torch inserted into the stove's crack or by simple oil lamps with wicks. In better-off homes, candles were used when oil lamps were unavailable.