Łukasz Mielżyński

At the table

High daily peasant beer consumption

In the 16th century, Polish peasants consumed substantial amounts of beer, often drinking between 1 and 1.5 liters per day.

What people wore

Valuable Noblewoman's Clothing

Seventeenth-century noblewomen's wills show that items like fur-lined coats, velvet dresses, and specific headgear such as caps and wimples were vital assets, sometimes valued higher than silver or jewelry.

Getting around

Importance of water transport

River travel was crucial for mass transportation, with large punts, barges, and rafts carrying passengers and goods across the Commonwealth.

What it cost

Cost of poultry in Warsaw markets

In 1619 Warsaw, a well-fed capon cost 10 grosze, while a fat goose reached up to 20 grosze.

Music

Music in courts and churches

Wealthy households and courts often maintained their own musical ensembles, while churches relied on organists and vocal groups to enhance the solemnity of services.

Daily life

Modest wooden peasant homes

Peasant homes were modest wooden farmhouses, with some in Samogitia using a numas with an open central fireplace for cooking and heating. Others used stoves, sometimes without chimneys, which released smoke directly into the living space.