For the most part, Slavs lived in 'joint-families' called zadrugas. The head of the group lives in the main house with his immediate family. His brothers have smaller houses, built out from the main house in a semicircular pattern. As the male children of the Zadruga marry, their father builds them their own house in the semicircle. Most socializing is done in the main house or outdoors, the other houses are just for sleeping. Meals are taken together in the main house. Land, stock and tools are all owned collectively. The only things owned by each individual family are clothes, small items, and money earned privately. Although the father or grandfather is the head of the zadruga, most decisions concerning family belongings are made with the counsel and consent of the other adult members. It is his job to maintain good relations between the zadruga and the rest of the village, the church, and the state. He chooses his own successor, usually either the eldest or ablest son. If there are no sons, he may choose a brother or brother's son. If the father dies unexpectedly with no heir, the older men of the zadruga elect someone.

Generally, the 'house mother' is the wife of the father or grandfather. Since she derives her power from him, she relinquishes this job if he dies or is replaced. If she becomes too old, weak or disabled, the eldest daughter-in-law takes her place. She's in charge of the kitchen, the cows and pigs, the clothing, the spinning and weaving. She preserves good relations among the women and designates tasks among them. She also serves as a mediator between the 'house father' and the rest of the family. Next in the hierarchy come the sons who form the family council. Lastly come the women and children. Women were not only work horses, they had about the same status as a horse (slight exaggeration). The 'house father' is allowed to beat his wife and children. He is allowed incest with the wives of his sons. It is believed that concubinage was accepted among all Indo-europeans, and it may have been so among Slavs as well. In some places, rich or powerful men had 2 or 3 wives. After her husband's death, she had no right to his property, but was merely allowed to remain in the house, and was provided with food, clothes and burial. If she chose to leave the house, she left these few privileges with the house.

Children work as shepherds from the time they are 10 years old. When they are 16, they begin work in the fields. At 20, they are adults.

They lived in semi-subterranean 'log cabins', with a stone hearth in one corner. As stated before, except for the main house, these houses were just sleeping quarters and, as such may have been very small. Some, uncovered near Nitra, measured as small as 6 by 7 1/2 feet. If I subtract for the space of the hearth, I think I've had bigger sleeping bags. Similar forms of patriarchal joint-families are found among the Balts, Iranians, and Armenians, but the joint family disappeared in almost all the western Indo-european groups. The western Slav eventually followed suit (perhaps under the influence of their western neighbors).

I'm not trying to paint a bleak picture. They were a fun-loving people and are known to have greatly enjoyed music. Any people who lived in log cabins and enjoyed singing and other music pass my test.