Page 69 - 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. 69
peasant income integration in early modern slovenia: a historiographical review
at night smuggle the livestock across the mountains to the Republic
of Venice. The goods peasants brought from Veneto in exchange are
sold not only at their homes and directly in front of the city gates,
but are transported onwards to a third or fourth province.7
Also characteristic of smuggling was that the carriers avoided the man-
datory trade routes, thus dodging the payment of tolls and customs duties.
They would thus smuggle wine, cereals and livestock from the Vipava Val-
ley to the County of Gorizia, and from the Karst region to Tržič (Monfal-
cone). Via Posočje, across the mountains of Bohinj towards the town of Ko-
barid, and from the Bovec region they would mostly smuggle fat, cheese
and to a large extent the aforementioned livestock. In most cases the final
destination was the Republic of Venice (Panjek 2002a, 221–2; Panjek 2015b,
102).
In the County of Gorizia, an important source of income for the peas-
ant population deserves special mention: the mercury mine in Idrija. In
the Modern Era, it was one of the biggest mercury mines in the world. This
mine employed peasant lads for wage labour and contract work as diggers
and ore smelters, and as pumpers of water from the mine (Verbič 1952–53,
534, 538). Transport was carried out by subjects in Idrija and subjects from
the neighbouring manors, especially the one in Škofja Loka (Verbič 1963,
98). In the first two centuries of the mine’s operation, the leading manufac-
turers and suppliers of clay pots for ore smelting were peasant potters from
the area of Škofja Loka. These pots were manufactured solely for the needs
of the mine, which indicates industrial production or a form of the put-
ting-out system (Verbič 1963, 99; Blaznik 1973, 222; Kavčič 2010, 144; Pan-
jek 2015b, 108). It would seem that the smuggling of mercury ore was inev-
itable; it was mainly carried out by pedlars subject to the manors of Idrija,
Tolmin and Škofja Loka, who came to Idrija under the pretence that they
were bringing provisions in exchange for lace, which they purchased from
the female lace makers of Idrija. The tradition of making Idrija lace, which
was carried out by peasant women and girls, dates back to the 16th century.
These lace makers purchased linen yarn and linen fabric in Škofja Loka in
exchange for lace (Verbič 1969, 157; Hodnik 1995a; 1995b; Terpin 2007, 84).
7 Žontar 1956–57, 85. Similar exploitation of permits for cross-border selling was no-
ticed by Panjek among the subjects from Bovec when studying archival sources
(Panjek, 2000, 162; 2002b, 221).
67
at night smuggle the livestock across the mountains to the Republic
of Venice. The goods peasants brought from Veneto in exchange are
sold not only at their homes and directly in front of the city gates,
but are transported onwards to a third or fourth province.7
Also characteristic of smuggling was that the carriers avoided the man-
datory trade routes, thus dodging the payment of tolls and customs duties.
They would thus smuggle wine, cereals and livestock from the Vipava Val-
ley to the County of Gorizia, and from the Karst region to Tržič (Monfal-
cone). Via Posočje, across the mountains of Bohinj towards the town of Ko-
barid, and from the Bovec region they would mostly smuggle fat, cheese
and to a large extent the aforementioned livestock. In most cases the final
destination was the Republic of Venice (Panjek 2002a, 221–2; Panjek 2015b,
102).
In the County of Gorizia, an important source of income for the peas-
ant population deserves special mention: the mercury mine in Idrija. In
the Modern Era, it was one of the biggest mercury mines in the world. This
mine employed peasant lads for wage labour and contract work as diggers
and ore smelters, and as pumpers of water from the mine (Verbič 1952–53,
534, 538). Transport was carried out by subjects in Idrija and subjects from
the neighbouring manors, especially the one in Škofja Loka (Verbič 1963,
98). In the first two centuries of the mine’s operation, the leading manufac-
turers and suppliers of clay pots for ore smelting were peasant potters from
the area of Škofja Loka. These pots were manufactured solely for the needs
of the mine, which indicates industrial production or a form of the put-
ting-out system (Verbič 1963, 99; Blaznik 1973, 222; Kavčič 2010, 144; Pan-
jek 2015b, 108). It would seem that the smuggling of mercury ore was inev-
itable; it was mainly carried out by pedlars subject to the manors of Idrija,
Tolmin and Škofja Loka, who came to Idrija under the pretence that they
were bringing provisions in exchange for lace, which they purchased from
the female lace makers of Idrija. The tradition of making Idrija lace, which
was carried out by peasant women and girls, dates back to the 16th century.
These lace makers purchased linen yarn and linen fabric in Škofja Loka in
exchange for lace (Verbič 1969, 157; Hodnik 1995a; 1995b; Terpin 2007, 84).
7 Žontar 1956–57, 85. Similar exploitation of permits for cross-border selling was no-
ticed by Panjek among the subjects from Bovec when studying archival sources
(Panjek, 2000, 162; 2002b, 221).
67
