Sophie Oldenburg

What people wore

Sumptuary laws for wedding jewelry

Sumptuary laws in 1606 restricted artisan brides to wearing only one gold necklace and a string of pearls, while wealthier women were permitted two necklaces.

Daily life

Children's Work and Schooling

In the Børnehuset orphanage, children had a 10-hour workday, from 5 to 10 in the morning and 12 to 5 in the afternoon. A priest provided a daily half-hour of education in reading and writing.

Work

Peasant household tasks and ploughing teams

Peasant households were the basic economic unit, with men ploughing, sowing, and harvesting, while women managed livestock, butter, beer, and bread production. In the early 17th century, a typical ploughing team required four horses and two men to handle the heavy work.

Music

Shawms, citherns, and flutes were popular

Instruments such as the shawm (skalmeje), cithern, and various flutes were popular in both public and private life. In some cases, people even used these for entertainment during drinking sessions, though such secular music was often viewed with hostility by the church.

At the table

Bread was baked monthly in community ovens

Ordinary households relied on community ovens to bake large batches of bread only once a month.

Getting around

Standard day's journey of four miles

A Danish mile, used as a measure for travel, was approximately 7.5 kilometers, and four miles were considered a standard day's journey.

What it cost

Rye bread price in the 1600s

In the 1600s, a pound of rye bread typically cost 1 to 2 skilling, though prices could rise significantly during grain shortages.