The scene depicted on this postcard is typical for the start of the XX century.
In that period, mules and donkeys were irreplaceable to man.
They were used to carry water, grain, salt, coal, fabrics and other goods between cities and mountain settlements.
These animals possessed endurance and the ability to navigate narrow, rocky trails where even horses would have been powerless.
Their loads often amounted to half or even two-thirds of their own body weight.