Zofia Tarnowska

What people wore

Popularity of slitted clothing

Slitting sleeves and clothes to reveal contrasting linings or shirts underneath became a very popular trend in the early 16th century. This style was adopted by various social classes as a touch of flirtation and intimacy.

Daily life

Protective names given to young children

Before a formal naming ceremony at the first haircut, children were given protective names like Wolf or Not-Mine to mislead evil spirits.

Work

Daily work routine and waking up

Without clocks, rural households relied on a rooster to signal the start of the day; the wife would wake the family after the second or third crow, often as early as 4:00 AM. A full day's work for a farmer included plowing, sowing, harvesting, and threshing, while the mistress managed cooking, baking bread, and caring for livestock.

Music

Musical instruments at festivities

Instruments like the lute, harp, violin, and bagpipes were commonly used to accompany festivities, weddings, and parties at inns or manors.

At the table

Beer as everyday beverage

Beer was the main everyday beverage for many, often brewed domestically, while mead was also consumed, though less frequently than beer.

Getting around

Common and Noble Modes of Travel

Ordinary people often traveled on foot or in simple carts called kolasa, whereas wealthy nobles frequently traveled on horseback or in carriages known as kolebka, which were suspended on leather straps for comfort.

What it cost

Everyday costs for workers

A pair of shoes cost 7 to 8 grosze, which represented about four days of work for an unskilled laborer. Meat was more expensive, with a large portion of pork costing 18 to 20 grosze, or nearly two weeks of work.