Amazonas Histórico
History of Commerce

The Evolution of Supply Markets in Lima: 19th Century

October 15, 2023 By: Dr. Alberto Mendieta

The study of supply markets in 19th-century Peru reveals an intricate network of exchanges that defined the agricultural economy of the time. This article, based on university texts from our collection, explores how local trading spaces evolved from informal fairs to regulated institutions.

Old open book on a wooden table

Illustration from a historical text in our collection. (Source: Pexels)

Reference Materials in Our Bookstore

The research for this post was based on several specialized works available at our location on Jirón Amazonas:

"Agrarian Commerce and Free Fairs"

Encyclopedia edited in 1978. Volume II, pages 45-89.

"Economic History of Agricultural Peru"

University textbook from 1985. Chapter on local markets.

"Records of the Lima Chamber of Commerce (1880-1890)"

Facsimile compilation, limited edition from 1992.

"Maps of 19th Century Commercial Circuits"

Atlas supplement to the main collection. Published in 2001.

Analysis of the Period

The transition from colony to republic brought with it a reconfiguration of agricultural product distribution channels. The so-called "supply markets" ceased to be mere meeting points and became axes of Lima's urban development.

The documentation from the period, available in printed materials and manuscripts we preserve, details the products, prices, actors, and conflicts that characterized this trade. Sugarcane, cotton, and Andean grains dominated the exchanges.

The physical structure of these markets, initially precarious, gained solidity towards the end of the century, reflecting the gradual formalization of popular economic activities. This process can be traced through archived blueprints and regulations.

“Barter did not disappear; it was codified. The supply market was the school where modern Peruvian economics was learned.”
— Excerpt from "Chronicles of Local Commerce", 1895.

Note: All books and documents mentioned are available for consultation and purchase at our physical bookstore Amazonas Histórico, located on Jirón Amazonas, Lima. For inquiries about material availability, you can write to consulta@economiaperuana.com.

Amazonas Histórico

We are a traditional physical bookstore located in the heart of Lima, on the emblematic Jirón Amazonas. For decades, we have been dedicated exclusively to the preservation and dissemination of printed knowledge about the history of agricultural commerce and supply markets in Peru.

Our Mission

To be the bridge between the past and the present, rescuing and making available to researchers, students, and the curious, the university texts, encyclopedias, and ancient books that narrate the economic evolution of our land.

Our Values

  • Authenticity and tradition
  • Historical rigor
  • Preservation of paper
  • Academic community

In a digital world, we defend the feel of paper, the smell of old ink, and the serendipity of finding, among wooden shelves, that unique volume that completes your research.

Interior of a traditional bookstore with wooden shelves full of old books

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Jirón Amazonas 123, Cercado de Lima.
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