Prices and Wages in Europe 1200-1800

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is an ongoing assumption among historians that (a) spices kept getting cheaper over time and (b) that they became more affordable as time went on.  Both are vast simplifications as I hope this chart points out (see also the price chart on pepper, cloves and nutmeg) wholesale pepper prices remained surprisingly steady over the centuries--see the green lines.  There was a modest dip in the second half of the 15th century, a modest rise as the Portuguese took over and then a gentle slide in price as the Dutch entered the market after 1600.  Admittedly, retail prices (at least in the Netherlands and Austria) fluctuated much more wildly--see the blue lines.  It’s worth noting the pepper gets relatively cheaper with regards to wheat and eggs in the sixteenth century and though wages also rise in most places the skyrocketing cost of the basics may have made the amount of disposable income available for spices disappear altogether.   Pepper wasn’t exactly cheap but then it wasn’t so expensive as some have claimed.  A worker could, on average buy anywhere from 200g (7 oz) to 500g (17 oz) of pepper for a day’s wage, an enormous amount if you’re cooking with it!