Shudras in Ancient India: A Social History of the Lower Order down to circa A.D. 600 c12.69

c12.69

The epigraphic evidence shows that the artisans were organised under their headmen, who probably enjoyed the favour of the king. Thus we hear of the gift of Ānanda who was the foreman of the artisans of Śrī Śātakarṇi.² But the literary evidence suggest that guilds of artisans flourished on a far larger scale during this period than in earlier times. At one place the Mahāvastu mentions eleven kinds of artisans such as garland makers, potters, carpenters, washermen, dyers, makers of bowls, goldsmiths, jewellers, workers in conch shell, armourers and cooks, all working under their respective heads.³ The same source also refers to the eighteen guilds (aṣṭādaśa śreṇis) of Rājagaha including, goldsmiths, perfumers, gemcutters, oilmen, makers of flour, etc. The list also includess vendors of fruits, roots, flour, and sugar.⁴ Goldsmiths and workers in gems are common to both the lists; yet there seem to have existed about two dozen guilds of artisans during this period.⁵ It is to be also noted that the second list of guilds is quite different from that mentioned in the Jātakas.⁶ Although artisans were employed by the king,⁷ increase in the number of guilds may have weakened the direct control of the state over artisans. What is more significant, we do not come across so many kinds of artisans even in the Arthaśāstra, as we find during this period. The Mahāvastu gives a list of thirty-six kinds of workers living in the town of Rājagaha.⁸ The list does not seem to be exhaustive, for it is said at the end of it that there are others besides those mentioned.¹ A still longer list is to be found in the *Milinda-pañha*, which enumerates as many as seventy-five occupations, mostly of artisans.² Many artisans of the Buddhist lists also recur in a Jain work, which enumerates eighteen kinds of craftsmen and significantly describes even the tailors, weavers and silk weavers as āryans by craft.³ showing thereby that these crafts were not held in low esteem by the Jains. It may be noted that in early medieval times weavers came to be considered untouchables.