Anna of Sweden

At the table

Beaver as fasting food

To preserve food for winter, people salted or dried meat and fish, and the beaver was considered fish because it lived in water and used its tail to swim. This allowed it to be eaten during the religious fasting days when meat was otherwise prohibited.

What people wore

Marital Status Shown by Headwear

To signal their status, married women wore a wimple as a head covering, whereas unmarried young girls were distinguished by wearing their hair uncovered.

Getting around

Travel by foot, horse, and winter sledge

In the 16th century, common modes of transport included walking, traveling on horseback, or using sledges in winter, with water routes often preferred over land for their speed. A day's journey could cover 30–40 km on foot, 50 km on horseback, or 70–80 km by sledge during winter.

What it cost

Price of bread and meat in Ångermanland

In Ångermanland, a single loaf of bread was valued at 2 öre, while 1 liter of meat cost 24 öre.

Music

Ring dances and outdoor celebrations

People often danced in rings or long rows, singing along as they moved, rather than dancing in pairs. Dancing was common at weddings, christenings, and religious festivals, frequently taking place outdoors in fields or town squares.

Daily life

Cramped shared living spaces with livestock

Most rural homes were single-room cottages serving as both kitchen and bedroom, where families often lived in cramped conditions alongside livestock like calves, sheep, and pigs during winter.