Margareta Slots

What people wore

Strict fashion laws for commoners

During the 1600s, Swedish commoners were strictly forbidden from using silk fabrics or other exclusive materials in public, with violators facing fines or imprisonment on bread and water.

Daily life

Extreme scarcity of window glass

Glass panes were so rare and expensive that in 1616, it was impossible to buy a chest of them even for four times the standard price. Window glass was often small, and for security, windows were sometimes nailed shut.

Work

Diverse work in rural and urban settings

Common jobs included agricultural labor as farmhands, maidservants, or soldiers, while others worked in crafts, construction, mining, or as domestic servants in urban households. Households relied on diverse, seasonal activities like animal husbandry, fishing, and foraging to survive.

Music

Common seventeenth-century folk instruments

Common folk instruments of the 17th century included the stjälkpipa (stem pipe), horn, hummel, harp, nyckelgiga (key harp), and drums.

At the table

Beaver was a fasting fish

Beaver was considered a fish during religious fasts because it lived in water and used its tail to swim.

Getting around

Forced walking speed for mail

Mail carriers were expected to walk at a brisk pace of 10 km every two hours, and failing to maintain this speed could lead to penalties including imprisonment on bread and water.

What it cost

Wages paid in goods and necessities

In the 1600s, employees were often paid in goods rather than cash, with roughly 28 to 29 percent of their earnings spent on clothing and shoes.