An Attempt Is Made Here To String Together Pieces Of Evidence Collected From Various Sources With A View To Throwing Light On Different Aspects Of Ancient Indian Guilds And Presenting Their Systematic Account. The Region Covered Is Northern India And Western Deccan. The Clubbing Together Of These Two Areas Was Prompted By The Consideration Of Their Close Cultural Affinity And Geographical Proximity. The Choice Of The Period 600 Bc-600 Ad Was Determined On The Grounds That By 600 Bc, The Guilds Had Clearly Emerged And By 600 Ad They Were On The Decline. Evidence From Other Areas And Periods Is At Times Referred To For The Sake Of Comparison And Also For Drawing Inferences.Of The Eight Chapters, The First Five Deal Variously With Nature, Scope, Chronology And Limitations Of The Sources, Meaning Of The Terms Nigama And Sreni; Origin And Development Of Guilds; Their Structure; Characteristic Features And Functions. Then Follow Chapters Dealing With Relationship Between Guilds And Caste And Between Guild And State. In The Last Chapter, There Is A Brief Discussion On The Factors Responsible For The Decline Of The Guilds.Certain Important Aspects Related To Guild Organization, Not Adequately Dealt With Under Chapters, Are Elaborated In Eight Appendices Dealing Variously With Srenibala; Sanskrit Terms Connoting Economic Organizations; Significance Of Number Eighteen Tagged To Guilds; Guild Coins; Guild Seals; Problem Of Two Rates Of Interest Offered By Two Guilds Of The Same Age And Place; Various Aspects Of The Celebrated Silk-Weavers Guild Of Mandasor; And Nature Of Single-Craft Villages Of The Jataka Tales.Reference To The View Of Scholars On Issues Under Discussion Has Been Freely Resorted To. At Times Disagreement With Their View Has Been Expressed And New Interpretations Have Been Offered.