Jadwiga Łuszkowska

At the table

Preserving fish in ash and barrels

In the 16th and 17th centuries, sturgeon, herring, and pike were commonly available, with fish sometimes stored in barrels or, lacking salt, preserved in ash.

What people wore

Special occasion versus daily wear

Ordinary people kept finer linen shirts in their chests for special occasions like church services, while everyday clothes were often made from coarser materials like plain woven linen or wool.

Getting around

Daily travel distance for journeys

Travelers in 1619 could cover between 28 and 47 kilometers per day, with magnate entourages sometimes reaching faster paces of nearly 38 kilometers per day.

What it cost

Cost of livestock

In the first half of the 17th century, a goose cost 4 to 5 groszy, while a good cow was valued at 10 zlotys (300 groszy).

Music

Puppet theater and ritual song traditions

People performed ritual songs for family milestones like weddings and baptisms, as well as seasonal festivals like Christmas caroling with the portable puppet theater known as the vertep. The vertep featured wooden puppets manipulated by wires to perform both religious scenes and comedic household sketches.

Daily life

Church brotherhoods and classical schooling

Church brotherhoods established primary schools across many towns, teaching languages including Greek, Latin, and Old Slavonic alongside subjects like mathematics and geometry.