Sophia Mikhailovna Romanova

What people wore

Preserving festive clothing

To protect expensive holiday clothing from moths and mustiness during storage, people kept them in chests covered with water mouse skin.

Daily life

Smoke and Light in the Home

In most homes, chimneys were not used until the 18th century, so smoke from the stove often exited through a hole in the roof or simply filled the living space. For artificial light during dark winters, families used luchiny, which were thin splinters of resinous pine burned in a metal holder.

Work

Non-stop Harvest Labor

During the intense harvest season in late summer, work continued seven days a week, often lasting from dawn until dusk and sometimes continuing by moonlight or torchlight to ensure the crop was saved. This period of extreme physical exertion was a constant struggle for survival for the serf families.

Music

Development of Polyphonic Spiritual Songs

Spiritual songs were traditionally monophonic, but by the seventeenth century, they were increasingly composed for two to four voices. These songs were performed by men, boys, and women at home, during church festivities, or outdoors.

At the table

Kvass was the most common daily drink

Common folk drank kvass, a fermented beverage made from rye or barley malt, daily. Alcohol such as beer and honey-based drinks were also consumed, though rural residents often produced these at home, while urban tavern customers spent an average of about 3 rubles and 66 kopecks annually on drinks.

Getting around

Carrying Supplies for Long Journeys

Because inns were rare, travelers were advised to carry essential supplies including an axe, fire-starting equipment, a cooking pot, and food for the entire duration of the journey. In the 16th and 17th centuries, many travelers were forced to camp under the open sky along riverbanks.

What it cost

Monthly earnings for skilled workers

In the mid-17th century, a stonemason or carpenter in Moscow typically earned between 20 and 40 kopecks per month for a 12-hour workday.