Expensive origins

Living as kings: 10 everyday things that were once worth more than gold

Image: Annie Spratt

Many of the things we take for granted today were once the stuff of dreams for kings, aristocrats, and the wealthy few. From basic household staples to everyday technology, these now-common goods were once markers of status and privilege. Here’s a look at 10 items that were once nearly unattainable luxuries.

Image: Daniel Kraus

Once called "white gold," sugar was a luxury in Europe during the Middle Ages, imported at high cost from the East. Only the wealthy could afford it, and it was often displayed as a status symbol.

By the 18th century, however, colonial plantations had increased supply, driving down global prices. Today, it’s one of the cheapest commodities in the world.

Image: Anas Alhajj

Highly coveted, black pepper was once used as currency in medieval Europe. Imported from India, it was so valuable that entire expeditions were launched just to secure trade routes.

Only the wealthiest households could afford to season their food with pepper regularly. Now, thanks to mass cultivation, it’s the most common spice in kitchens worldwide.

Image: Vidar Nordli-Mathisen

Who would have thought transparent windows were once a luxury? In the Middle Ages, glass windows were reserved for cathedrals and palaces, while most homes relied on wooden shutters or oiled cloth.

It wasn’t until the 19th century that mass production made window glass affordable for ordinary households.

Image: Mike Kenneally

Coffee didn’t reach Europe until the 17th century, where it was considered an exotic and costly import. Coffeehouses soon became elite meeting places for merchants and intellectuals.

By the 19th century, improved trade routes and colonial plantations made coffee affordable for the masses.

Image: Scott Rodgerson

A humble ice cube wasn’t always a common sight. Before refrigeration, ice was harvested from frozen lakes and shipped long distances, making it expensive and seasonal.

Some insulation techniques allowed it to be preserved year-round, but it remained a privilege mostly reserved for the wealthy. Ice production plants in the late 19th century democratized cold storage, and by the mid‑20th century, home freezers had made ice an everyday convenience.

Image: Emmy Smith

Though abundant now, salt was once vital—not just for flavor, but for preserving food and countless other uses—and notoriously difficult to produce in inland regions. Heavily taxed and fiercely coveted, it even sparked wars.

The Roman practice of paying soldiers partly in salt is often said to have given us the word "salary," literally meaning payment in salt. Only with modern mining and global shipping did salt lose its status as a precious commodity.

Image: Vrînceanu Iulia

Before the printing press, books were handwritten manuscripts that could take months or even years to produce. Only monasteries, royalty, and the very wealthy could afford to own them.

Fortunately, Gutenberg’s press in the 15th century revolutionized access by lowering prices and helping to spread literacy to the broader public.

Image: Noah Clark

The earliest mirrors were made from polished obsidian or metal, making them very difficult to produce. Even after more refined techniques using glass backed with a thin layer of silver were developed, mirrors remained luxury goods.

It wasn’t until the 19th century that industrial glassmaking and silvering techniques made mirrors affordable for middle-class homes.

Image: Nadia Clabassi

In medieval Europe, soap was costly—largely because it was made using olive oil, itself an expensive commodity. Those who couldn’t afford soap relied on water or abrasive cleaning materials.

Heavy taxation kept soap prices high until the 19th century, when a combination of lifted taxes and industrial manufacturing made soap affordable for the masses.

Image: Museums Victoria

Soon after its invention, photography remained an expensive and formal process that required a professional studio. Only the wealthy could afford photographic portraits.

It wasn’t until the 20th century, with mass-market cameras like Kodak’s Brownie and simpler film development techniques, that photography became accessible to everyone.

LOST LANGUAGE

Gone but Not Forgotten: 10 Words That Got Removed From the Dictionary

Image: Pisit Heng

Living languages are constantly evolving and adapting to the needs of their speakers, and shedding some of their least-used vocabulary is a natural part of the process. English is, of course, no exception to this rule, and each year both speakers and dictionaries make room for newer words that often fit their realities better. But don’t despair for these lost terms, because here we gathered 10 that, despite being almost completely obsolete, offer us a fascinating glimpse into our linguistic past.

Image: Sorin Gheorghita

Definition:To stare silently at someone while they are eating, hoping to be invited to join.

It sounds like an onomatopoeic crossbreed between a dog’s growl and a toad’s croak, however, it is actually quite an established verb! The origins of this peculiar word are hard to trace, though some linguists propose it may come from Scots or Gaelic.

In a single word, groak captures the universal experience of both dogs and insatiable teenagers. Though it might seem like an oddly specific term, its meaning has been somewhat fluid throughout its history. It has also been used as a noun or to refer to looking over your shoulder suspiciously.

Image: Ruthson Zimmerman

Definition:A shrewd, unprincipled person, particularly a politician.

This term originated in 19th-century America and is a delightful example of political slang. Though its origins are fuzzy, it describes a manipulative individual who ventures into politics solely for personal gain (sounds familiar?). Some etymologists argue that the term derives from the word "snallygaster," a mythical creature from rural Maryland that is half reptile and half bird, but historical evidence suggests that this use emerged later.

Though it has faded from use, its meaning has remained relevant over time and thus has reemerged now and then, for instance when President Harry S. Truman used it (albeit somewhat incorrectly) in a 1952 speech.

Image: Obie Fernandez

Definition:To argue stubbornly about trifles; squabble.

"Brabble" was a word commonly used in the 16th and 17th centuries to describe petty arguments. Curiously, despite its similarity to "babble" in both sound and meaning, these two words are not related. According to some etymologists, "brabble" likely derives from the Middle Dutch verb "brabbelen," meaning "to quarrel."

In any case, its sonorous qualities perfectly convey the noise of pointless bickering. And while the word might have fallen out of favor, the behavior it describes remains timeless, an inevitable part of human interactions.

Image: Emil Kalibradov

Definition:One who arrives at a party without money.

No, it’s not a fancy term for an artisanal espresso or anything like that. Originating in the early 19th century, "lanspresado" is sort of a playful yet piercing term. The word combines elements of Latin and Romance languages to label what we would now call a mooch or a freeloader.

A dictionary that compiled thieves’ or street slang in 1736 clearly defines it as: "He that comes into company with but Two-pence in his Pocket". Hundreds of years later, we might not use the word anymore, but there is no shortage of lanspresadoes. So we just might bring it back. Apparently, humanity never changes.

Image: rajat sarki

Definition:To gossip or talk idly.

A popular English word in the 16th century, "twattle" encapsulates the concept of idle chatter and gossip. Unlike "babble," which often refers to incoherent speech, "twattle" specifically pertains to pointless or frivolous talk. "Twattle" is actually a cousin to "twaddle," which still sees occasional use.

Despite its disappearance from everyday language, the behavior it describes is still very much alive. Who hasn’t engaged in a bit of twattle in the street after bumping into a neighbor?

Image: Element5 Digital

Definition:A person who remains aloof or independent, especially from party politics.

Popularized in the late 19th century, "mugwump" was originallya very specific word that referred to a member of the Republican Party who refused to support the party's main candidate at the time. Eventually, the word evolved to describe any politician who remained politically independent.

Interestingly, the word might derive from an Algonquian term meaning "great man" or "big chief," though its later usage was ironic rather than flattering. While "mugwump" has remained a part of American political slang, it is not commonly used today.

Image: Pétrin Express

Definition:A combination of smoke and haze.

Similar but less prevalent than "smog"—itself a combination of smoke and fog—"smaze" emerged in the 20th century as a portmanteau of smoke and haze. The term is almost intoxicatingly self-explanatory, and it was particularly relevant during periods of intense industrial pollution, before stricter laws reduced emissions and controlled air pollutants in cities and residential areas.

Curiously, there have been many similar word combinations to refer to various atmospheric conditions, such as "vog," coined in Hawaii to describe a dangerous mixture of toxic gases, volcanic dust, and fog.

Image: Aysegul Yahsi

Definition:A wooden toy figure that moves when a string is pulled; a puppet.

This whimsical term from 19th-century England describes a wooden toy whose limbs can be controlled by pulling a string—in simpler words, a puppet. By extension, the word came to refer to a person who is controlled by someone else, especially in political contexts.

Some argue that the "quock" part of the word might be related to a lost dialectal term meaning "tremble or shake," like "quake". Since real quockerwodgers weren’t exactly like typical puppets, where each string controls a limb with purpose, but rather were made to jerk uncontrollably by pulling a single string, this interpretation makes sense.

Image: Luca Bravo

Definition:Pretending to work when you’re not actually doing anything.

"Fudgel" is a humorous word that perfectly captures the well-known office phenomenon of appearing busy while accomplishing nothing. Allegedly originating in the 18th century, its absence from unabridged editions of various dictionaries suggests it might be a more recent term, though it never quite gained widespread use.

Interestingly, its similarity to "fudge" goes just beyond the sound, as "to fudge" can also mean "to change or falsify evidence." It’s easy to imagine someone fudgeled a bit too much at the office and ended up creating an entirely new word.

Image: Geronimo Poppino

Definition:Divination by observing cheese.

We can all agree that cheese can be quite mesmerizing, especially good Italian cheese. But did you know there used to be a whole branch of divination involving cheese? Tyromancy, the practice of telling fortunes with cheese, was regularly performed in 2nd century Greece by professional soothsayers.

These specialists would analyze the cheesiest details to predict the year’s harvest or determine future marriages. They scrutinized the number and size of holes in a block of cheese, any patterns on its surface, or the shapes it formed as it coagulated.