Page 170 - 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. 170
integr ated peasant economy in a compar ative perspective
cially around Foggia (in the Puglia region), offered winter pastures and a
wide range of markets.
Seasonal work was also to be had moving towards Puglia and the Ro-
man countryside. These activities served to increase the income and light-
en the demand for food, keeping men away from the mountains for whole
months along the same routes as the transhumance, but in opposing time-
frames, descending in the summer towards the plains of Puglia and the
Roman countryside when the demand in the fields was greatest (Farinel-
li 1973, 153–64). The Tavoliere plain in Puglia served as winter pastures for
livestock, especially sheep, then it provided work at harvest time, serving as
a market for pastoral products ever since the Sheep Customs had been es-
tablished by Alfonso d’Aragona in the 1440s. But this was not all. Whatev-
er the season, workers also used to move to the Roman countryside to saw
timber, make charcoal and lime, hoe the vineyards, dig ditches and carry
out any other manual jobs as necessary.
It was not solely a question of general manpower on an as-and-when
basis in various sectors where there was a demand. Not only can individu-
al skills be observed in these activities, but also those of entire communi-
ties still identify today with the work they have carried out for centuries,
such as the ropers of Corropoli, the woodcarvers of Castel del Monte, the
charcoal burners of Pettorano sul Gizio, the carders of Cerqueto and Petra
Camela, the stonemasons of Secinaro, Capistrello, Lettomanoppello, Pre-
toro, Pennadimonte and Pacentro, the chair makers of Pietracamela, and
the sieve makers of the Peligna Valley. The Apennine area appears especial-
ly marked by a high level of mobility of the population towards the Papal
State and the Kingdom of Naples.
There were also pedlars who went from place to place by mule to re-
stock the outlying locations, finding the best opportunities for trade in
the weekly markets. Street market retailers knew every inch of the terri-
tory and were able to overcome obstacles, take advantage of opportuni-
ties, know the right time to work and to open up passages across the bor-
der. Laurence Fontaine provides a good history of peddling in Europe and
identifies its heyday as the period between the late 15th century and the end
of the 17th century. There was a real wide-ranging commodity system which
the author shows to have originated in the mountain environment (Fon-
taine 1993; Salvemini 2006, 229–43). Acting within or outside the law, most
of the commerce in the area and the period in question was in the hands of
an itinerant trade system that did not depend so much on fixed sales out-
168
cially around Foggia (in the Puglia region), offered winter pastures and a
wide range of markets.
Seasonal work was also to be had moving towards Puglia and the Ro-
man countryside. These activities served to increase the income and light-
en the demand for food, keeping men away from the mountains for whole
months along the same routes as the transhumance, but in opposing time-
frames, descending in the summer towards the plains of Puglia and the
Roman countryside when the demand in the fields was greatest (Farinel-
li 1973, 153–64). The Tavoliere plain in Puglia served as winter pastures for
livestock, especially sheep, then it provided work at harvest time, serving as
a market for pastoral products ever since the Sheep Customs had been es-
tablished by Alfonso d’Aragona in the 1440s. But this was not all. Whatev-
er the season, workers also used to move to the Roman countryside to saw
timber, make charcoal and lime, hoe the vineyards, dig ditches and carry
out any other manual jobs as necessary.
It was not solely a question of general manpower on an as-and-when
basis in various sectors where there was a demand. Not only can individu-
al skills be observed in these activities, but also those of entire communi-
ties still identify today with the work they have carried out for centuries,
such as the ropers of Corropoli, the woodcarvers of Castel del Monte, the
charcoal burners of Pettorano sul Gizio, the carders of Cerqueto and Petra
Camela, the stonemasons of Secinaro, Capistrello, Lettomanoppello, Pre-
toro, Pennadimonte and Pacentro, the chair makers of Pietracamela, and
the sieve makers of the Peligna Valley. The Apennine area appears especial-
ly marked by a high level of mobility of the population towards the Papal
State and the Kingdom of Naples.
There were also pedlars who went from place to place by mule to re-
stock the outlying locations, finding the best opportunities for trade in
the weekly markets. Street market retailers knew every inch of the terri-
tory and were able to overcome obstacles, take advantage of opportuni-
ties, know the right time to work and to open up passages across the bor-
der. Laurence Fontaine provides a good history of peddling in Europe and
identifies its heyday as the period between the late 15th century and the end
of the 17th century. There was a real wide-ranging commodity system which
the author shows to have originated in the mountain environment (Fon-
taine 1993; Salvemini 2006, 229–43). Acting within or outside the law, most
of the commerce in the area and the period in question was in the hands of
an itinerant trade system that did not depend so much on fixed sales out-
168
