Page 130 - Panjek, Aleksander, Jesper Larsson and Luca Mocarelli, eds. 2017. Integrated Peasant Economy in a Comparative Perspective: Alps, Scandinavia and Beyond. Koper: University of Primorska Press
P. 130
integr ated peasant economy in a compar ative perspective
the mountains and were sold at markets far from Transtrand. This trade
impacted the peasant economy, and in many villages all peasants were in-
volved in production (Levander 1944; J. Larsson 1989).
The production of millstones is known to have occurred in only a few
places in Dalarna, most prominently in Malung Parish in the west. The
mines were located on common land but each pit was individually owned
and was inherited like other immovable property. The millstones were sold
at regional markets as well as in other nearby regions such as Värmland in
west central Sweden (Hülphers 1762; Levander 1944).
Early Modern Scandinavian agriculture required iron tools, and a re-
gional specialisation took place in Älvdalen and Lima parishes, where peas-
ants produced scythes, spikes, horse shoes, axes, spades, and other items.
In his journey through Dalarna in 1734, Linneus noted that peasants in
Lima travelled to ‘faraway’ places to trade their sythes. In exchange, they
got grain; one scythe was worth 1/8 barrel or 20 litres of grain (Petters-
son 1982; Linné 1984). Abraham Hülphers (1762) is more specific and points
out that most scythes were sold in Norway and the nearby Hälsingland re-
gion, but also within Dalarna. An account from 1764 mentioned by Le-
vander (1944) and Pettersson (1982) estimated that Lima produced 7,000–
8,000 dozen scythes and that two-thirds of the iron in these parishes was
used for scythes. The same account mentions that 200 people from Lima
Parish went to Grundset market in Norway to trade scythes. The iron for
the scythes was smelted from bog iron and, according to Hülphers (1762),
scythe production in Lima was so high they had to buy iron from the neigh-
bouring Särna Parish.
3.2 Woodwork
The area northwest of Lake Siljan became well known for its woodwork.
Wooden containers were used in all households for many purposes: farm-
ing, animal husbandry, and domestic work. In Venjan, Mora, and parts of
Älvdalen parishes, wooden containers were made for the market. The raw
material came from pine trees from the commons, and 18th century authors
lamented that the peasants used a very small part of the tree for wooden
containers and left the rest of it to rot. During the winter season, some of
the peasants travelled to sell the containers and returned with grain (Hül-
phers 1762; Levander 1944). Regional centres of specialisation in woodcraft
emerged as the peasants developed special tools that made their products
more efficiently. Parish residents benefited from the collective knowledge
128
the mountains and were sold at markets far from Transtrand. This trade
impacted the peasant economy, and in many villages all peasants were in-
volved in production (Levander 1944; J. Larsson 1989).
The production of millstones is known to have occurred in only a few
places in Dalarna, most prominently in Malung Parish in the west. The
mines were located on common land but each pit was individually owned
and was inherited like other immovable property. The millstones were sold
at regional markets as well as in other nearby regions such as Värmland in
west central Sweden (Hülphers 1762; Levander 1944).
Early Modern Scandinavian agriculture required iron tools, and a re-
gional specialisation took place in Älvdalen and Lima parishes, where peas-
ants produced scythes, spikes, horse shoes, axes, spades, and other items.
In his journey through Dalarna in 1734, Linneus noted that peasants in
Lima travelled to ‘faraway’ places to trade their sythes. In exchange, they
got grain; one scythe was worth 1/8 barrel or 20 litres of grain (Petters-
son 1982; Linné 1984). Abraham Hülphers (1762) is more specific and points
out that most scythes were sold in Norway and the nearby Hälsingland re-
gion, but also within Dalarna. An account from 1764 mentioned by Le-
vander (1944) and Pettersson (1982) estimated that Lima produced 7,000–
8,000 dozen scythes and that two-thirds of the iron in these parishes was
used for scythes. The same account mentions that 200 people from Lima
Parish went to Grundset market in Norway to trade scythes. The iron for
the scythes was smelted from bog iron and, according to Hülphers (1762),
scythe production in Lima was so high they had to buy iron from the neigh-
bouring Särna Parish.
3.2 Woodwork
The area northwest of Lake Siljan became well known for its woodwork.
Wooden containers were used in all households for many purposes: farm-
ing, animal husbandry, and domestic work. In Venjan, Mora, and parts of
Älvdalen parishes, wooden containers were made for the market. The raw
material came from pine trees from the commons, and 18th century authors
lamented that the peasants used a very small part of the tree for wooden
containers and left the rest of it to rot. During the winter season, some of
the peasants travelled to sell the containers and returned with grain (Hül-
phers 1762; Levander 1944). Regional centres of specialisation in woodcraft
emerged as the peasants developed special tools that made their products
more efficiently. Parish residents benefited from the collective knowledge
128
