Amalie Elisabeth von der Pfalz

At the table

Avoiding Contaminated Water

Water was rarely drunk, as people relied on beer or watered-down vinegar for safer hydration. Often, drinking water was avoided entirely due to the high risk of contamination from nearby cesspools.

What people wore

Eleven caps for one woman

In Scheessel, a woman possessed about eleven different caps for various occasions, with five reserved exclusively for mourning. These caps were stored in colorful painted hatboxes.

Getting around

River travel from Regensburg to Vienna

Starting in 1696, boats called 'Ordinari' transported passengers down the Danube from Regensburg to Vienna, a distance of about 450 kilometers that took at least one week.

Work

Rural Dominance and Shared Household Living

About 80 to 90 percent of the population lived in rural areas, working as farmers or laborers, while town dwellers often worked in skilled crafts or trade. Rural life was dominated by subsistence farming, where families shared their homes with livestock and often rendered labor services to a landlord.

Music

Village Dances Featured Bagpipes and Drums

At village festivals, ordinary people enjoyed dancing to the music provided by a bagpiper and a drummer. These gatherings were relaxed outdoor events where villagers would drink beer and socialize while watching the dance.

Daily life

Difficult water access and pollution

Rural water access was difficult, often relying on collecting rainwater or hauling water from village wells or ditches. In some towns, polluted water was a risk because waste was simply poured onto streets and entered groundwater.