Q133454307

What people wore

Valuable Noblewoman's Clothing

Seventeenth-century noblewomen's wills show that items like fur-lined coats, velvet dresses, and specific headgear such as caps and wimples were vital assets, sometimes valued higher than silver or jewelry.

Daily life

Heating and smoke management in homes

Peasant homes often used central hearths without chimneys, causing smoke to escape through roof openings, though houses with chimneys also existed. Wealthier urban and noble homes used tiled stoves and fireplaces, which kept kitchens separate from living areas.

Work

Peasant labor and mandatory estate duties

Most ordinary people were peasants who worked on their own farms while also performing compulsory unpaid labor, known as panszczyzna, on their lord's agricultural estate. This required them to provide their own tools and draft animals, such as horses or oxen, for the lord's fields.

Music

Music in courts and churches

Wealthy households and courts often maintained their own musical ensembles, while churches relied on organists and vocal groups to enhance the solemnity of services.

At the table

Staple diet of ordinary families

Rye bread, groats, and peas formed the staple diet of ordinary households, often supplemented by dairy, fat, and vegetables from home gardens.

Getting around

Winter travel equipment costs

In 1586, a villager purchased a transport sledge at the Ramygala market for ten Lithuanian groši, a common household tool for winter travel.

What it cost

Food consumed most of a worker's wages

In the first half of the 17th century, daily nutrition costs rose significantly, consuming between 60% and 80% of a worker's total wages.