Carlota Sofia de Bothmer

What people wore

Church dress and head coverings

For ordinary church services, women typically wore a black head covering, with the poorest maidservants attending in plain white caps. By the late 17th century, wearing black to Holy Communion was a standard custom for both men and women.

Daily life

Water supply and hygiene habits

Water was often brackish or polluted, forcing households to rely on buying fresh surface water from specialized carriers or catching rainwater in cisterns located under their homes. Despite the emphasis on cleanliness, washing was prioritized for inanimate objects like floors and building exteriors rather than personal bathing, which was rare.

Work

Family-based work in the home and shop

Many people worked in small family businesses where the father, mother, and children all contributed to the trade. Craftsmen, such as shoemakers, often worked in the front of their homes with the windows open to allow daylight for their detailed work.

Music

Popular dances and social customs

At festivals like Easter, people performed the egg dance (eierendans), a skillful folk dance where participants moved eggs placed inside a chalk circle using only their feet. Singing and dancing provided one of the few opportunities for young people to openly meet and find potential marriage partners.

At the table

Early doughnuts were a favorite treat

Commonly eaten sweets included olie-koecken, which were deep-fried balls of dough that served as the forerunner to the modern doughnut. These were often made with raisins, apples, and almonds.

Getting around

Predictable journey times and routes

Travel times were remarkably predictable; for instance, the journey from Delft to Rotterdam took one hour and 45 minutes, while the 57-kilometer trip between Leiden and Utrecht took eight hours. Passengers could disembark at various stops along the route to refresh themselves at inns.

What it cost

Weekly wages for workers and craftsmen

An outdoor laborer in the 17th century typically earned 6.50 guilders per week, while a master carpenter earned 9 guilders per week.