Marfa Musina-Yuryeva

What people wore

Lifelong festive peasant clothing

A peasant family would prepare a festive outfit meant to last a lifetime, which was stored carefully and worn only on the most important holidays.

Getting around

Travel by horse-drawn relay transport

Between 1800 and 1824, ordinary people traveled between towns primarily using horse-drawn carriages, wagons, or sledges, often relying on the state-run relay system to secure fresh horses at designated postal stations. Travelers were required to carry an official permit called a podorozhnaya to document their route and status at these stations.

At the table

Rye bread and cabbage soup staple

Ordinary families relied heavily on rye bread and shchi, a cabbage soup that was a dietary staple and was often made with sour, fermented grey cabbage.

Music

Improvised percussion for fast folk dances

During fast-paced dances known as pliaska, performers often used improvised percussion instruments, including wooden spoons, metal pots, or even farm scythes to keep the rhythm.

Daily life

Sourcing drinking water

Most city residents lacked their own water source and relied on water carriers who transported water from rivers or lakes, which was often contaminated. Even well water in towns was frequently dirty and contained significant limestone impurities.

Work

Common non-agricultural peasant jobs

To supplement agricultural income, peasants took jobs such as boatmen, longshoremen, construction workers, cabmen, and artisans in cities. In the central provinces, 27 percent of men did not plow land at all, relying entirely on these non-agricultural trades.