A substantial and rapid increase in consumer goods has been detected in the archaeological record from Iceland during the 19th century. This article considers the impact of this change on household routines. Drawing inspiration from economics and Becker’s concept of Z commodities, the analysis seeks to blur the distinction between consumption and production by comparing the demands made on household resources by two different sets of tasks: firstly, those presented by the introduction of new materials related to coffee, and, secondly, those required by the traditional materials of butter production. The article illustrates the ways everyday routines are altered with the introduction of new materials and suggests that the productive work involved in consumption may be a key factor in how people and materials become entangled and mutually dependent.

在19世纪的冰岛考古记录中，已发现消费品的大量快速增长。本文考虑了这种变化对家庭生活的影响。该分析从经济学和贝克尔的Z商品概念中汲取灵感，旨在通过比较两组不同任务对家庭资源的需求来模糊消费与生产之间的区别：首先，这些任务是通过引入与咖啡有关的新材料而提出的。其次，是黄油生产的传统原料所需要的。这篇文章说明了随着新材料的引入改变日常工作的方式，并暗示了与消费有关的生产性工作可能是人们与材料纠缠和相互依赖的关键因素。