Labourers and Artisans in Seventeenth-Century Ahmadabad

Abstract

Among the inhabitants of medieval Indian cities, the largest group was naturally represented by its workforce. They were a crucial element in the urban dynamics of these cities. Ahmadabad, during the seventeenth century, was the leading manufacturing hub of Gujarat besides being the administrative headquarters of that province. This ensured varied employment opportunities for different categories of labourers and artisans residing in the city and its neighbourhood. Leveraging several analytical tools, the present study is an attempt to provide an insight into the contribution of the workforce behind the economic prosperity of Ahmadabad in the seventeenth century.