John III Sobieski

At the table

Varied diets of ordinary families

Ordinary households in the Polissya and Volhynia regions enjoyed a varied diet that included pork, salted meat, sausages, poultry, mutton, dairy products like cheese and butter, and bread made from wheat or rye. Documented supplies in peasant homes frequently featured peas, various cereals, garlic, and onions.

What people wore

Hair styling and head coverings

Girls accessorized their hair by braiding silk or wool ribbons into their hair, while married women typically covered their heads with a specialized cap called an ochipok. For festive events, girls might decorate their braids with live or artificial flowers and colorful ribbons.

Getting around

Common methods of travel and transport

People traveled by foot, horseback, or in various horse-drawn wagons and carriages, such as the covered carts called 'kolybka' or 'palub'. Boats were used for water travel, though navigation on the Dnieper was restricted by rapids.

What it cost

Cost of livestock

In the first half of the 17th century, a goose cost 4 to 5 groszy, while a good cow was valued at 10 zlotys (300 groszy).

Music

Vertep Christmas Play Celebrations

The Vertep, a popular puppet-based Christmas play, featured joyful celebrations where performers sang, played the bandura, and danced the Vertepnyj Kozachok.

Daily life

Living in smoky, tax-avoiding huts

Many poor peasants lived in smoke-filled huts without chimneys to avoid paying a tax on smoke. To light their homes, they used a small wooden torch called a luchnyk or svitoch, which provided light and created a draft.