Glossary · Term
Caste
Caste refers to a system of hereditary social groups, often tied to occupation and restricting marriage between groups. In the Jolof Empire, Wolof society distinguished nobles, free commoners, artisan castes such as blacksmiths and griots, and enslaved people. The term is also used more loosely for hereditary social and occupational categories in other societies, including Qing China.
Mentioned in 11 profiles
Qing EmpireMilitaryRegency of AlgiersSocioeconomyWestern Chalukya EmpireSocioeconomyHoysala EmpireSocioeconomyAhom kingdomDeclineVijayanagara EmpireSocioeconomyKingdom of NepalSocioeconomy, ImpactBritish RajSocioeconomy, ImpactRepublic of IndiaSocioeconomyHinduismCommunitySikhismOrigins, Beliefs, Community, Legacy, Summary
Mentioned in 9 state histories
See also
Cite this entry
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Caste. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/caste
- MLA
- “Caste.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/caste. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Caste.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/caste.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Caste’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/caste (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻