Gunilla Bielke

At the table

Two meals and morning beer

Ordinary households typically ate two main meals a day, dagvard and kvällsvard, often starting their mornings with a warm beer drink known as the morning drink.

What people wore

Daily workwear for peasant women

Ordinary women often worked in long linen chemises and would tie a knot in their skirt to move more easily. Married women covered their heads with a wimple, while young girls left their hair uncovered.

Getting around

Travel by Foot and Horseback

In the 16th century, Swedes primarily traveled on foot or horseback, as carriages were not yet common for general use. People often traveled in groups for safety and to share the burdens of the journey.

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.

Music

Chanting the mass in Swedish vernacular

During mass, priests chanted biblical texts in the Swedish vernacular using melodic formulas known as accentus, a practice that helped convey scripture to the laity.

Daily life

Education and work at home

Formal schooling was not available for ordinary children; they learned life skills and Christian catechism at home or through work, as schools were generally reserved for a few boys of higher status. Children were expected to contribute to the household economy from a young age through tasks like spinning wool, tending animals, or manual labor.