Sneha Kapote

Archaeologist and numismatist specializing in ancient and early medieval South Asian history, with experience in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. Integrates research and inquiry-driven pedagogy with interdisciplinary research in archaeology, history, and material culture.

• Collaborative Research Stage 1 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Canada (SSHRC)
  Collaborators: Franco-Indian Archaeological Mission in Ladakh (MAFIL), Centre of Central Asian Studies at the University of Kashmir (Srinagar) Submitted 2026 - Decision pending
  Description: The project focuses on aligning closely with SSHRC Phase I priorities: interdisciplinary humanities research, digital infrastructure, knowledge mobilization, training, and international collaboration to study the establishment and development of Buddhism in Kashmir up to the early 5th century CE, critically assessing the role of the Kushans through integrated analysis of archaeological contexts, inscriptions, numismatic evidence, and material culture from select sites and museum collections from Kashmir.
• The Nicholas Lowick Memorial Fund for the promotion of Oriental Numismatic by the Royal Numismatic Society July 2020 - August 2021
  This prestigious grant fulfils my objective to document and research the numismatic collection of the early medieval period (3-13 centuries) of northern India (Kashmir and Punjab) at the British Museum and British Library in London and the Ashmolean Museum and Bodleian Library in Oxford. The outcome of the proposed research will be to assesses the relationship between the chronicle’s text (the Rājataraṅginī of Kalhaṇa) and the historical realities of Kashmir currency, by creating a detailed, analytic type catalogue of coins of the Hindu dynasties, their inscriptions, metrology, style, fabric and hoard association. In the end, it is intended to build a more accurate picture of their production processes and mints, and a sequence of the coins challenging the historical record.
• Documentation Project June 2018- August 2018
  Sri Pratap Singh Museum, Srinagar, India
  Description: Thorough documentation recently discovered coin hoards from various villages in Kashmir, India, consisting of coins of the early medieval period along with cleaning and cataloguing housed at the SPS Museum.
• Collections Management and Documentation April 2016 - December 2016
  National Mission for Monuments and Antiquities of the Archaeological Survey of India, Pune
  Description: This project aims at documenting and cataloguing tangible antiquities which will be comprehensively recorded in the database of the Archaeological Survey of India. This project aims to document all antiquities from the recent excavations of Harappan civilization sites in India.
• Project Research Fellow November 2015 - February 2016
  Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India
  Description: Investigating and interpreting astronomical symbolism on coinage and rock art with the help of astronomical data of 500 B.C.E until 6th c. CE in the Indian context under the supervision of Dr. Mayank Vahia.
• Field Technician and Researcher
  Joint Indo-Russian Archaeological Expedition in Kashmir, India November 2015-January 2016
  Description: Generously funded by the Gerda Henkel Foundation, an archaeological cum geophysical survey was initiated as a joint collaboration with the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia and the Centre of Central Asian Studies, University of Kashmir.
• Curatorial Intern August 2013- October 2014
  Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C. Description: Assisted curator Debra Diamond including guided object-based research; edit and proofread exhibition catalogue; compile and format bibliographic reference section of the catalogue. Designed thematic rotation labels. Assisted in exhibition: “Yoga: Art of Transformation” for the Freer South Asian galleries.
• Research Assistant December 2013- March 2014
  National Numismatics Centre Wing, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institute, Washington DC, USA
  Objective: Assisted curator Karen Lee, Dr. Ellen Feingold and team to research and organize a pull-out drawer exhibition on Ancient and Medieval coinage tradition of South Asia.

• An Investigation of the Early Phase Coin Series of Toramāṇa of Kashmir, Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology, 2019
• An Assessment of Architectural Features of Sugandesha Temple, Kashmir, Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology, 2019
• A Reappraisal of Numismatic Evidence of Early Medieval Kashmir from the 6th to the 13th century CE, Manuscript under peer review, American Numismatic Society, 2026

• Kapote, Sneha. “A Numismatic Survey of the Kidarite Coinage of Kashmir.” Paper presented at the 104th Annual Conference of the Numismatic Society of India, State Museum of Lucknow, Department of Culture, Uttar Pradesh, India, November 17–19, 2022.
• Kapote, Sneha. “A Numismatic Survey of the Kidarite Coinage of Kashmir in the Light of New Material.” Paper presented at the Allchin Symposium, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, April 2022.
• Kapote, Sneha. “Mapping the Continuity and Transition of Hunnic Powers in Kashmir: A Numismatic Case Study.” Paper presented at Interpreting Afghanistan: Art, Archaeology and History of the Eastern Iranian World (600 BCE–999 CE), Jordan Centre for Persian Studies, University of California, October 2022.

• American Numismatics Society (ANS)
• Oriental Numismatic Society (ONS)
• Society of South Asian Archaeology (SOSAA)
• Royal Numismatic Society (RNS)
• British Columbia Association of Professional Archaeologists (BCAPA)