Pautas de consumo y diferenciación social en el Penedés a fines del siglo XVII. Una propuesta metodológica a partir de inventarios sin valoraciones monetarias

This article analyzes the patterns of consumption in an agrarian society at the end of the XVII century. First, reference is made to the main source of this research, post mortem inventories, that characteristically in Catalonia do not include any monetary evaluation of the property and goods of the deceased person (except, of course, his or her financial assets). Since the most authoritative studies on consumption in western Europe and North America have adopted analytical frames appropriate for inventories with prices, a particular methodology has been devised. The conclusions of this research point out that consumption behaviour in pre-industrial societies like 17th century Peaedès were shaped in a large measure by membership to a defined social group and by norms of mutual recognition.