Princess Sophia Hedwig of Denmark

At the table

Beer consumption in daily life

Beer was an essential part of the daily diet, consumed morning, afternoon, and evening by people of all social classes. Adults typically consumed at least twelve barrels of beer per year.

What people wore

Repair and recycling of clothing

Archaeological findings in Copenhagen show that men's hats, knitted socks, and gloves were frequently repaired and reused. Wigs found in the area were likely discarded only after human hair was harvested for making new wigs.

Getting around

Travel by farm wagons

Ordinary people mostly traveled between towns using small horse-drawn farm wagons, as there were no railways or steamships for public transport in this period. Passengers could hire a farmer and his wagon if they did not own a vehicle themselves.

What it cost

Cost of clothing fabric

Coarse woolen fabric for everyday work clothes, known as vadmel, cost between 16 and 24 skilling per alen at the end of the century.

Music

Town musicians held exclusive performance rights

Privileged town musicians held a monopoly on all paid musical performances for citizens and farmers, often charging for their services at weddings and feasts.

Daily life

Drinking water deemed unsafe to consume

Drinking water was often considered unsafe, leading many to avoid it in favor of other drinks, or to boil it slowly if no alternative was available.