Lukács László (szerk.): Märkte und Warenaustausch im Pannonischen Raum - István Király Múzeum közelményei. A. sorozat 28. (Székesfehérvár, 1988)
Lubica Falt'anová: The Main Directions of Trade from Slovakia
tracte in ciiesse. The first especially are in all the markets in rkidapest". (11) The extent of this trading is witnessed also by the data from an early 20th century ethnographic contribution about "the folk industry" by the author Karol Medvecky. According to the data in his summary, the export of Liptauer cheese (sheep cheese) was estimated at 12.600 metric cents per year. He also mentioned that from the surroundings of Brezno in Central Slovakia, diffe - rent types of cheeses were exported through the mediation of vendors from the surroundings, who delivered the cheeses to delicatessen shops in Pest. The fact that these products reached mainly upper-classes municipal households is confirmed by the author's laconic remark: "Thanks to their taste and cleanliness they are suitable for any banquet table".(12) The above-mentioned dairy products were distributed first of all by water transport, by means of rafts. The high level of cheese export from Slovakia is also confirmed by the fact that from the beginning of the 16th century till the first half of the 19th, the bulk of the exports from Liptov down the river Váh took the form of various types of sheep cheeses and butter. These products were directed to Bratislava, Vienna, Budin and Belgrade. As mentioned earlier, the Liptauer cheese (sheep cheese) was at the beginning of the 17th century a much-sought-for foodstuff in the foreign markets.(13) However, we know that under the name "Liptauer cheese" more of it was produced in parts of the world other than in Liptov (mainly in Pest), as it is stated in an article from the second half of the 19th century: "but only few tasted genuine Liptauer cheese".(14) Besides transport in rafts, another means of transport for Liptauer cheese and melted butter was also used. They were transported by carters from Zvolen, Banská Bystrica and Banska £tiavnica in Central Slovakia to Bratislava and Vienna.(15) In Vienna markets retaliers, the so-called "Käsestecher", sold the Liptauer cheese directly from the barrels, using special knives for its cutting.(16) Trade with cattle, cereals (grain markets in Trnava were amongst the most important in Hungary) hemp, wine, honey and poultry also worked in similar directions. The hucksters from Myjava were well-known; they used to drive whole herds of geese up to Lower Austria.(17) To deal with all these aspects of trading in more detail would require a special chapter, but it is important to note that exactly these commodities from agricultural production were exported from Slovakia through the wholesale trade. For example, the products of agricultural production, especially cattle from western Slovakia (which was already at the beginning of the 17th century an important supplier of meat and grain for the Austrian market and especially Vienna), were exported through xhe merchants who came from Sense, Galanta, Sal'a, Trnava and Bratislava.(13) We now turn to the export of home-made products. This export had, along with agricultural products' exchange, an independent and important place in trading relations. Again we can speak of intensive contacts between the countries mentioned, on the basis of data concerning the large-scale export of such products as textiles, and items mads of wood, straw, brushwood and clay (earth). These items included many products used in everyday life, e.g. agricultural tools and implements or products having the character of building materials. 178