Virginia Eriksdotter

What people wore

Daily workwear for peasant women

Ordinary women often worked in long linen chemises and would tie a knot in their skirt to move more easily. Married women covered their heads with a wimple, while young girls left their hair uncovered.

Daily life

Living in a one-room cottage with livestock

Ordinary homes were typically one-room cottages with dirt floors, where the entire family lived and slept alongside livestock like pigs, cows, and hens during the winter. These cottages were drafty, often lit by only a single small window covered with parchment or glass, and kept warm by a baking oven that families lit before dawn.

Work

Demanding schedules and fewer holidays

A working day was physically demanding and tied to daylight, with many laborers expected to work on agricultural harvests, construction, or maintenance like fencing. Following the 1571 Church Order, the number of work-free holidays was halved, significantly increasing the number of mandated working days for the population.

Music

Ring dances and communal singing at festivals

People enjoyed singing and dancing in rings or long rows, often in open fields or village squares, during festivities and family celebrations.

At the table

Beaver was considered a fasting fish

People considered beavers to be fish because they swim with their tails, allowing them to eat beaver meat during religious fasting periods when meat was otherwise prohibited.

Getting around

Travel by Foot and Horseback

In the 16th century, Swedes primarily traveled on foot or horseback, as carriages were not yet common for general use. People often traveled in groups for safety and to share the burdens of the journey.

What it cost

Value of clothing items

Stolen trousers were valued at 6 or 8 öre, reflecting the high cost of clothing items in the 16th century.