Eudoxia Mikhailovna Romanova

What people wore

Footwear by social class

Ordinary peasant women wore bast shoes made from tree bark or vine twigs, whereas wealthier women wore boots or shoes made from leather, velvet, or brocade with high heels.

Daily life

Living in a Serf Izba

Serf dwellings were one-room log cabins (izbas) with tiny windows, often covered with stretched animal bladder or mica rather than glass to conserve heat. These homes were typically heated by a large clay-based oven that took up a quarter of the floor area and doubled as a sleeping platform.

Work

Daily Wages for Urban Workers

Skilled urban craftsmen, such as carpenters, shoemakers, and blacksmiths, commonly earned a daily wage of 4 to 5 kopecks. Even unskilled laborers, known as yaryzhki, earned 3 kopecks per day, a rate that remained stable throughout the reign of Michael Feodorovich.

Music

Development of Polyphonic Spiritual Songs

Spiritual songs were traditionally monophonic, but by the seventeenth century, they were increasingly composed for two to four voices. These songs were performed by men, boys, and women at home, during church festivities, or outdoors.

At the table

Oat flour tolokno was a daily staple

Ordinary people frequently ate tolokno, a simple dish made by mixing oat flour with water, salt, and sometimes berries or honey. It was a staple, especially on fasting days.

Getting around

Sleighs and Horseback Travel Preferences

Sleighs were a favored mode of transport, and it was not uncommon for a bride to travel to church in a sleigh even during the summer. Furthermore, coaches were primarily used by aristocratic women, while men usually preferred riding on horseback.

What it cost

Costs of basic food staples

Prices for basic goods included one kopeck for a kilogram of bread, while a chicken cost three kopecks, the same price as 50 eggs or 1.5 kilograms of butter.