The Chalukyan Architecture of the Kanarese Districts c3.5

c3.5

The guilds of the Middle Ages were not merely economic organizations; they were also social and religious institutions. They provided a sense of community and mutual support for their members, often acting as a kind of extended family. This was particularly important in an age when travel was difficult and dangerous, and when the individual had little protection outside of his immediate kin or his guild. The guild provided a burial fund, cared for the widows and orphans of deceased members, and often maintained a chapel or altar in the local church.