Brita Eriksdotter (Leijonhufvud)

What people wore

Practical Workwear for Peasant Women

Peasant women sometimes knotted their skirts while working to move more easily. They wore a long coarse linen chemise, often with a woolen surcoat on top for warmth.

Daily life

Practical education through household work

Children learned crafts and chores within the household, such as an eleven-year-old boy helping in his father's foundry by keeping the fire going with bellows.

Work

Training and widowhood in urban crafts

Apprentices lived in their master's household, receiving food, lodging, and training instead of cash wages. A master's widow could inherit her husband's workshop, providing one of the rare avenues for female economic independence in towns.

Music

Popular musical instruments of the era

Common instruments included flutes, drums, fiddles, and the bagpipe, which was popular for both festive dancing and by shepherds as a tool.

At the table

Beer as a daily staple

Beer was the most common drink, often consumed warm as a morning beverage or as a weak brew served with daily meals like pea soup and bread.

Getting around

Travel methods and seasonal choices

Travelers frequently moved by foot, horse, or sled, depending on the season and terrain. Water routes were also crucial, with boats being a superior mode of transport when weather permitted.

What it cost

Carpenter daily wages in 1516

In 1516, a carpenter earned 5 örtugar per day if he provided his own food, or 3 örtugar if the guild provided it.