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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

Wedding shirts as burial shrouds

The funeral custom was so precise that couples carefully preserved the shirts worn on their wedding day to be used as their burial garments. Additionally, deceased women were often buried with one of their caps, such as the communion cap.

Getting around

Mounted post speeds in Germany

Mounted postal services in Central Europe utilized horse relay stations to reach speeds of up to 84 kilometers per day, allowing the 422-kilometer journey between Cologne and Hamburg to be completed in five days.

Work

Regulated Hours for Urban Construction Workers

Construction workers like stonecutters and carpenters worked under municipal regulations that strictly governed their daily wages and their arrival and departure times for work. These rules were officially decreed by city councils to maintain order in the building trades.

Music

Town Musicians Performed on Diverse Instruments

Town musicians, known as Stadtpfeifer, performed on instruments like the cornett, sackbut, and various flutes at civic festivals, weddings, and funerals. They often used sets of instruments in different sizes, called consorts, including discant, alto, tenor, and bass versions.

Daily life

Dark and smoky rural homes

Rural homes often lacked chimneys, causing smoke from open hearths to fill living areas with poor air. Many houses were dark, with only small windows or simple peep-holes.