Princess Margarita of Greece and Denmark

What people wore

Multipurpose handwoven garments

Women often wove their own families' clothes, with one set often serving as both a special festive outfit and later, burial clothing.

Getting around

Traveling on Foot and by Mule

Because road networks were limited, most people traveled between towns on foot, often in small groups for safety against bandits. A journey across the island of Crete, a distance of roughly 60 km, took 24 hours and required a brief overnight stop.

At the table

Frugal diet of bread, olives, and cheese

Ordinary Greek families relied on a frugal diet centered on bread, olives, and cheese, with meat consumed rarely, typically only on major festivals.

Music

Private family music ensembles

Small musical groups called kompanies, typically consisting of violin, santouri (dulcimer), guitar, or oud, played for private family celebrations like weddings and engagements.

Daily life

Democratic and free public education access

Education was highly valued and free for all Greeks, with children from diverse backgrounds, such as a cabdriver's daughter and the child of a Secretary of State, learning together in the same schools. Attendance was eager, contrasting with the listless air observers found in their own countries.

What it cost

Wages in the early 1900s

In the early 1900s, general workers earned between 50 lepta and 1 drachma for a 10–12 hour workday, while men's wages ranged from 1.20 to 3 drachmas and women's were as low as 10 lepta.