Marianna Kazanowska

At the table

Staple diet of ordinary families

Rye bread, groats, and peas formed the staple diet of ordinary households, often supplemented by dairy, fat, and vegetables from home gardens.

What people wore

Valuable Noblewoman's Clothing

Seventeenth-century noblewomen's wills show that items like fur-lined coats, velvet dresses, and specific headgear such as caps and wimples were vital assets, sometimes valued higher than silver or jewelry.

Getting around

Common travel methods and daily speeds

Ordinary people traveled mainly on foot, covering 20–25 km per day, or by horse-drawn carts at 25–30 km per day. Noblemen typically traveled on horseback to show their status, achieving 30–40 km per day.

What it cost

Food consumed most of a worker's wages

In the first half of the 17th century, daily nutrition costs rose significantly, consuming between 60% and 80% of a worker's total wages.

Music

Bagpipes at local inns and festivals

Bagpipe music was a staple of everyday life, frequently accompanying dancing at weddings and parties in both city and country inns.

Daily life

Heating and smoke management in homes

Peasant homes often used central hearths without chimneys, causing smoke to escape through roof openings, though houses with chimneys also existed. Wealthier urban and noble homes used tiled stoves and fireplaces, which kept kitchens separate from living areas.