Anna of Hesse

At the table

Pork was a preferred, expensive luxury

Pork was the most prized meat for ordinary families, often costing one-third more than beef in the late medieval period. While commoners ate meat, it was particularly valued as a sign of prosperity and was often eaten during holidays or festivals.

What people wore

Women's Stockings and Garters

Peasant women wore stockings that reached above the knee, which were held in place by garters tied above the calf. These were often made from wool and cut at a 45-degree angle to the grain to ensure they were stretchable and fit tightly.

Getting around

Traveling primarily on foot

Most ordinary people traveled on foot, covering about 20 to 30 kilometers per day, as they could not afford horses or carriages.

What it cost

Laborer wages and shoe costs

In early 16th-century Saxony, a day laborer could earn 9 groschen per week with keep or 16 groschen without keep. For comparison, a pair of shoes cost 3 groschen.

Music

School children singing for income

School children were required to sing German hymns daily at church services and earned extra money by singing at funerals and in front of wealthy citizens' houses.

Daily life

Central hearths for light and cooking

The primary source of light, heat, and cooking in many homes was a central indoor campfire, as open hearths were common in smaller dwellings. Wealthier urban households sometimes had their own wells and used specialized kitchen equipment like bronze mortars for grinding spices and three-legged Dutch ovens, known as Grapen, for roasting or stewing.