Konstancja Lubomirska

What people wore

Peasant couple's 1613 wardrobe inventory

A 1613 record of a peasant couple's possessions lists new and worn outer garments, several shirts, sheepskin coats, headcloths, and leather shoes.

Daily life

Modest wooden peasant homes

Peasant homes were modest wooden farmhouses, with some in Samogitia using a numas with an open central fireplace for cooking and heating. Others used stoves, sometimes without chimneys, which released smoke directly into the living space.

Work

Peasant work days far exceeded urban crafts

Peasant workers in rural Malopolska were required to work approximately 300 days per year, which was 110 days more than those employed in urban crafts.

Music

Stryjanka dance at home

The stryjanka dance, performed at home to the accompaniment of a violin, consisted of a stately march followed by a lively mazurka.

At the table

High daily peasant beer consumption

In the 16th century, Polish peasants consumed substantial amounts of beer, often drinking between 1 and 1.5 liters per day.

Getting around

Average daily travel distances

Travel was slow, with people on foot covering 20–25 km per day and carriages covering 25–30 km per day. Large magnate processions were similarly slow, often traveling only 25–30 km daily.

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.