Zofia Czarnkowska Opalińska

At the table

Rapid inflation of food prices

Food prices rose sharply during the 17th century; for example, the price of vodka in Gdańsk increased sevenfold between 1580 and 1677, and beer prices quintupled between 1550 and 1661. Due to these rising costs, most of a family's budget was spent on food.

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

Common methods of transport

Ordinary people traveled by walking, riding horses, or using simple horse-drawn carts such as the kolasa.

What it cost

Cost of Footwear in the 17th Century

The price of a pair of shoes fluctuated throughout the century, reaching 15.8 units in 1651 and 13.2 units in 1661.

Music

Bagpipe music at inns and celebrations

Bagpipes were common instruments for providing dance music at weddings and parties in city and country inns, enjoyed by peasants, the lower bourgeoisie, and the gentry.

Daily life

Elementary schooling for all social classes

Parish schools were open to children of both genders from all social estates to learn the basics of religion, reading, and sometimes subjects like grammar or Latin. Teaching quality varied greatly as there were no established training requirements for teachers.