Ancient Socio-Economic Institutions

Dashpur Inscription: Records of the Silk Weavers Guild

The Dashpur (Mandsaur) Inscription provides detailed information about the silk weavers' guild. It records their migration from Gujarat to Madhya Pradesh and their contribution to temple construction.

Primary Reference: NCERT Class XII - Themes in Indian History Part 1

Archived: 2019

Updated: 26 Dec 2025

Exam Year

2019

Evidence Source

Link ↗

Which of the following inscription reveals information about Silk Weavers Guild?

[M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2019]

Detailed Solution & Historical Context

Concept

Guilds (Shrenis) were central to the ancient Indian economy, often acting as autonomous professional bodies with their own laws, social status, and religious patronage.

Authentic Source Evidence

The Dashpur (Mandsaur) Inscription of the 6th century records the history of a Silk Weavers' Guild. It details their migration from Lata (southern Gujarat) to Dashpur (Mandsaur, MP) and their collective donation to build a Sun temple.

Analytical Breakdown

Logic 1: The inscription shows the social mobility of artisans; while some remained weavers, others became astrologers, soldiers, or storytellers.

Logic 2: Prayag Prashasti (Option B): Focuses solely on the military conquests of Samudragupta.

Logic 3: Hathigumpha (Option D): Records the life of King Kharavela of Kalinga, not a guild's history.

Conceptual Deep Dive & Logic

"Where did the silk weavers' guild mentioned in the Dashpur inscription migrate from?"

They migrated from the region of Lata, located in present-day southern Gujarat.

Examiner's Mindset & Pro-Tip

"This record is crucial because it provides evidence of horizontal social mobility within the caste/guild system of the Gupta-Vardhana transition era."

Topic Clusters (click to see related topic questions)

Shreni 2