Princess Sophie of Sweden

Getting around

The mandatory horse-switching system at inns

Travelers relied on a system of roadside inns, where they were required to switch horses at every station to continue their journey. If no horses were available, travelers had to wait or search for replacements from nearby farms, which could take hours.

At the table

Everyday drinks were fermented to avoid contamination

People drank "blanda," a mixture of skimmed sour milk and water, and fermented malt-based "small beer" to avoid drinking contaminated well water.

What people wore

Layered skirts indicated status

Women often wore several skirts layered on top of each other to mark their social status and provide extra warmth, with thicker underskirts sometimes reaching the thickness of a blanket.

Music

The long-distance vocal technique kulning

Women working at mountain pastures used a distinctive high-pitched vocal technique called kulning to communicate with animals and people over distances of up to 5 kilometers.

Daily life

Fetching daily water supplies

Water had to be fetched manually from a spring or well before dark, as it was considered bad practice to draw it after nightfall. Once inside, a hot coal was sometimes thrown into the water bucket.