Page 67 - 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. 67
peasant income integration in early modern slovenia: a historiographical review
opinion, as regards transport, the region of Zgornje Posočje and the Kanal-
ska valley (Kanaltal, Val Canale) represented the central passage through
the Alpine mountain range between Central Europe and the Mediterrane-
an in the easternmost part of the Alps (Panjek 2002, 217). Along the Bovec
route6 the peasants of Bovec and Tolmin would transport wine, livestock,
meat products and cheese. They were also the main suppliers to the town of
Gorizia and also sold their products and livestock across the border, to the
Venetian town of Cividale.
Panjek points out that wine was the “wealth of the County of Gori-
ca” (2015b, 60), whose principal market was Carinthia. The wine trade with
Carinthia was founded on a number of agreements, under which Carin-
thians had to purchase the wines of Gorizia and Trieste before all others.
The sweet wines of Gorica and Trieste (rebula, prosek; ribolla, prosecco)
were supplied to Carinthia by Carinthian carriers, innkeepers, merchants
and local transporters – the latter were mostly peasants. Carinthia and
the region of Gorizia also exchanged wine for iron (Panjek 2015b, 59–79;
Gomiršek 2007, 59). Moreover, in the 17th century “a large number of Carin-
thians” would come to Goriška Brda and Friuli across the Kanalska valley
for seasonal work, in order to “get a temporary grape-picking job at the lo-
cal vineyards” (Panjek 2002a, 218; Panjek 2015b, 102–3).
In the regions of Gorizia, Tolmin and the lower Vipava Valley, the pop-
ulation exploited forest resources with great intensity. In the 16th century, on
account of log driving along the Soča River, Gorizia developed into the cen-
tre of the wood-processing industry (Gestrin 1965, 195). Peasants primari-
ly exploited the forests for wood harvesting and free-range grazing of live-
stock. In the higher Alpine parts, wood was needed mostly for building cattle
pens on Alpine meadows and as firing for processing dairy products. On the
Trnovski gozd plateau the nearby subjects and cottagers (kajžarji) would ex-
ploit the royal forests for grazing sheep and goats, and for mowing. In the
village of Lokve they would, in addition to pasture, engage in vocations
connected with forestry, e.g. woodcutting, charcoal burning, carpentry
and driving. In the 18th century, the craft of glassmaking developed there,
in which the locals also took part in, and wooden pail-making, which was
mostly practised by men in winter time (Kolenc 2011, 97–9; 2012, 131). For-
est wood was also exploited by the locals for the needs of the local industry.
6 The Bovec route led from the Friuli lowland and the valley of the Soča/Isonzo River
via Kobarid to Bovec and further on via the Predel mountain pass towards Tarvisio
(Trbiž, Tarvis) in Carinthia.
65
opinion, as regards transport, the region of Zgornje Posočje and the Kanal-
ska valley (Kanaltal, Val Canale) represented the central passage through
the Alpine mountain range between Central Europe and the Mediterrane-
an in the easternmost part of the Alps (Panjek 2002, 217). Along the Bovec
route6 the peasants of Bovec and Tolmin would transport wine, livestock,
meat products and cheese. They were also the main suppliers to the town of
Gorizia and also sold their products and livestock across the border, to the
Venetian town of Cividale.
Panjek points out that wine was the “wealth of the County of Gori-
ca” (2015b, 60), whose principal market was Carinthia. The wine trade with
Carinthia was founded on a number of agreements, under which Carin-
thians had to purchase the wines of Gorizia and Trieste before all others.
The sweet wines of Gorica and Trieste (rebula, prosek; ribolla, prosecco)
were supplied to Carinthia by Carinthian carriers, innkeepers, merchants
and local transporters – the latter were mostly peasants. Carinthia and
the region of Gorizia also exchanged wine for iron (Panjek 2015b, 59–79;
Gomiršek 2007, 59). Moreover, in the 17th century “a large number of Carin-
thians” would come to Goriška Brda and Friuli across the Kanalska valley
for seasonal work, in order to “get a temporary grape-picking job at the lo-
cal vineyards” (Panjek 2002a, 218; Panjek 2015b, 102–3).
In the regions of Gorizia, Tolmin and the lower Vipava Valley, the pop-
ulation exploited forest resources with great intensity. In the 16th century, on
account of log driving along the Soča River, Gorizia developed into the cen-
tre of the wood-processing industry (Gestrin 1965, 195). Peasants primari-
ly exploited the forests for wood harvesting and free-range grazing of live-
stock. In the higher Alpine parts, wood was needed mostly for building cattle
pens on Alpine meadows and as firing for processing dairy products. On the
Trnovski gozd plateau the nearby subjects and cottagers (kajžarji) would ex-
ploit the royal forests for grazing sheep and goats, and for mowing. In the
village of Lokve they would, in addition to pasture, engage in vocations
connected with forestry, e.g. woodcutting, charcoal burning, carpentry
and driving. In the 18th century, the craft of glassmaking developed there,
in which the locals also took part in, and wooden pail-making, which was
mostly practised by men in winter time (Kolenc 2011, 97–9; 2012, 131). For-
est wood was also exploited by the locals for the needs of the local industry.
6 The Bovec route led from the Friuli lowland and the valley of the Soča/Isonzo River
via Kobarid to Bovec and further on via the Predel mountain pass towards Tarvisio
(Trbiž, Tarvis) in Carinthia.
65
