María Calderón

What people wore

Mercury-based cosmetic face whiteners

Women used a face whitener made from corrosive mercury sublimate to achieve the desired pale complexion.

Daily life

Water storage in homes

Most homes lacked a private well, requiring residents to fetch water from nearby public fountains. Large clay jars were then used to store this water inside the house.

Work

Working hours and contract benefits

Laborers were required to work from sunrise to sunset, which meant starting at 6:00 AM in the summer and 7:00 AM in the winter. Employers were often obligated to provide not just a wage, but also meals, wine, and sometimes clothing or housing as part of the employment contract.

Music

Taborers Guiding Festival Dancers

Taborers were hired for festivals like Corpus Christi to guide dancers, often charging for their services by performing in town streets or during processions.

At the table

Affordability of basic food items

With 1 blanca, which was worth half a maravedí, a person could buy nine salted or fresh sardines. At the time, an average laborer or muleteer earned 17 maravedís per day.

Getting around

Common methods of travel

Most people traveled on foot or horseback, though wealthy individuals used litters carried by mules or human-powered sedan chairs.

What it cost

Annual clothing needs in Madrid

In early seventeenth-century Madrid, the estimated annual expenditure for one person included two pairs of shoes.