Margaret Leijonhufvud

What people wore

Belts as Everyday Tool Storage

Both men and women carried belts, which served as essential storage for household items like keys, leather pouches, and knives. Married women used their belts to keep keys to the farm.

Daily life

Small shared living spaces

Ordinary people typically lived in a single room that served as both kitchen and bedroom, with families often sharing the small space with dogs, calves, sheep, pigs, and hens.

Work

Structure of the daily working life

A working day began with communal morning prayers and meals, followed by labor-intensive tasks such as crafting, tending livestock, or fieldwork. By the late 16th century, the number of religious holidays that provided mandatory work breaks was halved from approximately 60, significantly extending the required working year.

Music

Ring dances and heroic songs in public

People gathered at town squares or open fields to dance in rings or long rows, often singing songs about ancient heroes to the light of fires.

At the table

Beer as a daily staple

Beer was the most common drink, often consumed warm as a morning beverage or as a weak brew served with daily meals like pea soup and bread.

Getting around

Hospitality and group travel safety

Travelers often sought safety in groups, and guests frequently relied on the hospitality of clergy or peasants because official inns were scarce. During the Kalmar Union, those on state business often expected free food and lodging.

What it cost

Cost of shoes and clothing items

In 1520, a pair of vadmal (homespun wool) shoes cost 2 öre, while a pair of red hose in 1461 was priced at 5 öre.