Anne Cathrine Christiansdatter

What it cost

Rye bread price in the 1600s

In the 1600s, a pound of rye bread typically cost 1 to 2 skilling, though prices could rise significantly during grain shortages.

Music

Rural instruments included bagpipes and drums

Among the rural population, common instruments included drone instruments like bagpipes and hurdy-gurdies, alongside drums and violin-like instruments such as the gig. These were often played at festivals and life celebrations, such as weddings and births.

Daily life

Drinking Beer Instead of Water

Water was often contaminated, so adults and children preferred to drink weak beer; it was sometimes even forbidden to drink from wells.

Work

Peasant household tasks and ploughing teams

Peasant households were the basic economic unit, with men ploughing, sowing, and harvesting, while women managed livestock, butter, beer, and bread production. In the early 17th century, a typical ploughing team required four horses and two men to handle the heavy work.

Getting around

Standard day's journey of four miles

A Danish mile, used as a measure for travel, was approximately 7.5 kilometers, and four miles were considered a standard day's journey.

At the table

Bread was baked monthly in community ovens

Ordinary households relied on community ovens to bake large batches of bread only once a month.