Jeremi Wiśniowiecki

At the table

Preserving fish in ash and barrels

In the 16th and 17th centuries, sturgeon, herring, and pike were commonly available, with fish sometimes stored in barrels or, lacking salt, preserved in ash.

What people wore

Hidden needle pouches carried money

Peasant women often used a small accessory called a holnyk, a pouch for needles that frequently served as a hidden compartment for carrying money. It typically cost a few groschen.

Getting around

Bridge tolls during travel

Travelers were often charged for using bridges, with a toll of half a zloty per wagon.

What it cost

Price of a loaf of bread

In the early 17th century, a loaf of fine-ground rye bread cost 1 Polish grosz.

Music

Origins of the Hopak dance

The Hopak developed as an improvisational male dance among Zaporozhian Cossacks in the early 17th century, often reenacting battles with weapons like swords. It was a boisterous social dance performed during victory celebrations rather than during strict military training.

Daily life

Archaic smoke-filled stoves in Polissia

In the early 17th century, many homes in the Polissia region utilized archaic stoves where smoke exited directly into the room through special roof openings.