Sibylle Margarethe von Brieg

At the table

Peasant stored meat and fat

A 1625 record from the Brest region documented that a peasant's stores included processed pork products like fat, sausages, hams, and smoked goose meat.

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.

Getting around

Importance of water transport

River travel was crucial for mass transportation, with large punts, barges, and rafts carrying passengers and goods across the Commonwealth.

What it cost

Cost of poultry in Warsaw markets

In 1619 Warsaw, a well-fed capon cost 10 grosze, while a fat goose reached up to 20 grosze.

Music

Forgotten songs and dances found in manuscripts

A 17th-century manuscript discovered inside a religious book revealed over 200 long-forgotten songs and dances, including pieces like the Polonez and the Bergamask-style Pagamoszka.

Daily life

Home-based nobility education

Children of the nobility were often educated at home, with lessons sometimes including physical training like throwing spears or archery, while girls were trained in household management, sewing, and embroidery to prepare for their future roles as wives and mothers. Formal education was often tailored to the child's age, and parents were warned against using excessive force, as it could cause the child to lose their presence of mind.