Qualifications:  Ph.D ( Institute of Archaeology, Department of Conservation
                         and Material Sciences University College, University
                         of London, U.K., 1996)

Research interests:

Applications of scientific studies in art and archaeology, archaeomaterials, archaeometallurgy, history of science and classical Indian dance and performing arts, crafts documentation

Career:  

B.Tech Engineering Physics, IIT, Mumbai; 1987
M.A. Art, Archaeology, and Archaeometallurgy, School of Oriental and African Studies, London; 1988-89
Ph.D., Institute of Archaeology, University College London, UK, supported bya British Council Chevening Scholarship, entitled Enigma of the dancing pancha-loha (five-metalled icons)-archaeometallurgical and art historicalinvestigations on south Indian metal icons, and is the first and most comprehensive to date on the technical finger-printing, for the purposes of dating and stylistic authentication, of south Indian metal icons (130) sampled from Victoria and Albert Museum, London, British Museum, London and Government Museum, Chennai, using methods including lead isotope analysis; 1990-96
Forbes Research Associate, Department of Conservation and ScientificResearch, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Galleries,Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C., 1999,
Homi Bhabha Fellow at Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore; 1996-98 
NIAS, Bangalore as an awardee under the DST-SERC Young Scientists Scheme for 2001-2002.

Honours and Distinctions:

Fellow, Royal Asiatic Society, UK
Indian Institute of Metals, Certificate of Excellence 2007
Member, Board, Institute of Archaeometallurgical Studies,
Institute of Archaeology, London
· Materials Research Society of India (MRSI) Medal 2006
· Malti B. Nagar Ethnoarchaeology Award (2005)
DST Young Scientist Awardee
· MRS Graduate Student Award, Materials Research Society, USA,1997
Homi Bhabha Fellow
British Chevening Scholar, British Council
· Flinders Petrie Prize and Medal from University of London, 1989

UKIERI (UK-India) project; Lead researcher in project on 'Pioneering Metallurgy: Origins of steel making in the southern Indian subcontinent' with Exeter University

Archaeoastronomy project of Centre for Basic Sciences, University of Mumbai with co-investigator Mahank Vahia, TIFR

Department of Science and Technology, India (DST) Nurture Scheme Awardee (2005-8)
Grant to study the metal technology of Harappan sites such as Dholavira

India Foundation for Arts, Art Documentation Awardee (2004-6)

DST-SERC Young Scientist Awardee (2001-2003)

India-Sri Lanka Fund Awardee, New Delhi, 2001

Edwardo Waldo Forbes Fund Fellow, Dept. of Conservation & Scientific Research,

Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, USA (1999),

Homi Bhabha Research Fellow in Archaeometallurgy (1996-1998), Department of Metallurgy, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India. Academic Visitor to UK and US in Oct.-Dec. 1998

Current Projects:

Ancient Harappan archaeometallurgy supported by DST-SERC
Analysis of metal artifacts excavated from megalithic site of Kadebakele, by Univ of Michigan, Univ. of Chicago and Dept. of Karnataka (EHLTC project)
Team member, collaborative international Sanganakallu-Kupgal project of Cambridge University, Institute of Archaeology, London and Dharwar University, Karnataka

Publications

Books

Srinivasan, S and Ranganathan, S. 2004. India's legendary wootz steel: an advanced material of the ancient world. Bangalore: NIAS and IISc.

Commissioned by India Foundation for the Arts to write a book on Indian metal crafts.
Sharada Srinivasan, Karnataka, 2004, Arts Research and Documentation.

'Textures of wootz: technocultural insights on steel, cast iron and ferrous metals from south Indian antiquity' .
For more details

Papers  

Srinivasan, S. 2008. Mirrors: Metal mirrors from India. In Selin H. (ed.): Encyclopedia of the History of Science, Technology and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures, Springer Verlag

Srinivasan, S. 2008 Social History of Indian metalcrafts: Some archaeometallurgical and ethnoarchaeological insights. In: B.D. Chattopadhyay (ed.) A Social History of Early India, Vol II, Part 5, PHISPC Series, Pearson and Longman, New Delhi, 251-69.

Srinivasan, S. 2007. 'On icons, vessels and mirrors from South India: tracing early use of tin, zinc and high-tin bronze', Traditions of Science: Cross-cultural perspectives. New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd, pp. 157-176.

Srinivasan, S. 2007, On higher carbon and crucible steels in southern India: further insights from Mel-siruvalur, megalithic Kodumanal and early historic Pattinam, Indian Journal of History of Science, 42.4: 673-95.

Srinivasan, S. 2007, Cosmic Dance. India International Centre Quarterly, Autumn 2007, 126-37.

Srinivasan S. and Glover, I. 2007. Skilled mirror craft of intermetallic delta high-tin bronze (Cu31Sn8, 32.6% tin) from Aranmula, Kerala. Current Science, 93, 1: 35-40.

Srinivasan, S. 2006. Art and Science of Chola Bronzes. Orientations (Nov-Dec 2006 issue) coinciding with Royal Academy of Arts exhibition of 'Chola: Sacred bronzes from southern India', Nov-Dec, Vol. 37, 8, p. 46-55.

Srinivasan, S. 2006. Megalithic high-tin bronzes: ethnoarchaeological and archaeometallurgical insights on manufacture and possible artistic and musical significance. Man and Environment XXXI (2): 1-8.

Srinivasan, S. 2006. Art and Archaeometallurgy of Nataraja: Exploring visual metaphors for consciousness. In S. Menon (ed.) Consciousness, Experience and Ways of Knowing: Perspectives from Science, Philosophy and the Arts. Bangalore: National Institute of Advanced Studies, pp. 242-254.

Srinivasan, S. and Ranganathan, S. 2006. A Tale of Wootz Steel. Resonance- A Journal of Science Education, Vol. 11. No. 67-78.

Srinivasan, S. and Ranganathan, S. 2006. Nonferrous materials heritage of mankind. Transactions of Indian Institute of Metals, Vol. 59, 6, pp. 829-846.

Srinivasan, S. 2004. 'Siva as cosmic dancer: On Pallava origins for the Nataraja bronze'. World Archaeology. Vol. 36(3): 432-450. Special Issue on 'Archaeology of Hinduism.

Srinivasan, S. 2004. 'Chronology and metal sources of South Indian metal icons', Archaeology as History: South Asia, ed. H.P. Ray and C. Sinopoli. New Delhi: Indian Council for Historical Research and Aryan Books International, pp. 219-257.

Srinivasan, S. 2004. 'The cosmic dance of Siva: an icon of science and beyond.' In S. Menon, B.V. Sreekantan, A. Sinha, P. Clayton and R. Narasimha (eds.) 'Science and Beyond'. Bangalore: National Institute of Advanced Studies, pp. 98-105.

Srinivasan, S. 2001. Dating the Nataraja dance icon: technical insights. Marg-A Magazine of the Arts 52(4): 54-70.

Srinivasan, S. 2001. An archaeometallurgical approach in the finger-printing and stylistic authentication of South Indian metal icons. Conservation of Cultural Property , New Delhi.

Srinivasan, S. 1999. Lead isotope and trace element analysis in the study of over a hundred South Indian metal icons. Archaeometry 41(1): 91-116.

Srinivasan, S. 1999. "Preliminary insights into provenance of south Indian copper alloys and images using a holistic approach of comparisons of their lead isotopes and chemical composition with slags and ores", in Metals in Antiquity. BAR International Series 792. Edited by S. Young, M. Pollard, P. Budd and R. Ixer, pp. 200-11. Oxford: Archaeopress.

Srinivasan, S. 1998. "Highlights of ancient south Indian metallurgy-technical evidence for the early use of high-tin bronzes, high-carbon steel, metallic zinc, smelting of bronze and cast images, Beginning of the Use of Metals and Alloy (BUMA-IV), pp. 79-84. Matsue: Japan Institute of Metals.

Srinivasan, S. 1998. The use of tin and bronze in prehistoric South Indian metallurgy. Journal of Metals, 50(7):44-7, 49.

-Srinivasan, S. 1998. "High-tin bronze working in India: The bowl makers of Kerala", in Archaeometallurgy in India.. Edited by V. Tripathi, pp. 241-51. New Delhi: Sharda Publishing Ltd.

-Srinivasan, S. and Glover, I. 1998. High-tin bronze mirrors of Kerala, South India. IAMS Newsletter, 20: 15-7. London: Institute of Archaeometallurgical Studies.

-Srinivasan, S. 1997. Present and past of southern Indian crafts for making mirrors, lamps, bells, vessels, cymbals and gongs: links with prehistoric high tin bronzes from Mohenjodaro, Taxila, South Indian megaliths and later finds. Journal of the Society for South Asian Studies 13. 1997: 209-25.

-Srinivasan, S. 1997. "The composition of bronze slags from Kalyadi in South India, and the implications for the problem of tin in South Indian antiquity", in Archaeological Sciences 1995. Ed. A. Sinclair, E. Slater, and J. Gowlett, pp.136-42. Oxford: Oxbow books.

-Srinivasan, S. and Glover I. 1997. "Archaeometallurgical implications of new findings of traditional crafts of making high-tin 'delta' bronze mirrors and 'beta' bronze vessels in Kerala state of South India", in Materials Issues in Art and Archaeology V, Edited by P. Vandivar, J, Druzik, J. Merkel, and J. Stewart, pp. 81-105. Warrendale: Materials Research Society.

-Srinivasan, S. and Griffiths, D. 1997. "Crucible steel in South India: Preliminary investigations on crucibles from some newly identified sites", in Material Issues in Art and Archaeology-V. Ed. P. Vandivar, J, Druzik, J. Merkel, and J. Stewart, pp. 111-27. Warrendale: Materials Research Society.

-Srinivasan, S. and Ranganathan, S. 1997. "Wootz steel: an advanced material of the ancient world", in Iron & Steel Heritage of India. Ed. S. Ranganathan, pp. 69-82. Jamshedpur: Indian Institute of Metals & Tata Steel. (http://metalrg.iisc.ernet.in/~wootz/heritage/WOOTZ.htm)

-Srinivasan, S and Glover, I. 1995. Wrought and quenched and cast high-tin bronzes from Kerala state, southern India. Part I. Contemporary manufacture, Part II. Scientific investigations, Part III. Historical dimension. Journal of the Historical Metallurgy Society, 29(2): 69-87.

-Srinivasan, S. and Ranganathan, S. 1997. "Metallurgical Heritage of India",.in Golden Jubilee Souvenir, Indian Institute of Science, pp. 29-36. Bangalore: Indian Institute of Science.(http://144.16.66.221/dept/heritage/html)

-Srinivasan, S. 1994. "High-tin bronze bowl making from Kerala, South India and its archaeological implications." in South Asian Archaeology 1993. Ed. A. Parpola, A. and P. Koskikallio, pp. 695-705. Helsinki: SuomalainenTiedeakatemia.

-Srinivasan, S. 1994. Wootz crucible steel: a newly discovered production site in South India. Papers from the Institute of Archaeology, 5: 49-61. London: University College London.

-Srinivasan, S. 1994. "Appendix III. Metallurgical investigations on Late Roman copper and bronze coins from Karur and Madurai", in Late Roman Copper Coins From South India: Karur and Madurai. Edited by R. Krishnamurthy, pp. 121-33. Madras: Garnet Publications.

Publications in press/conference papers
-Srinivasan, S. 'Archaeometallurgical and astro-archaeological insights on south Indian metal icons. Proceedings of the international UNESCO conference on Science in Cultural Heritage, International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste
-Srinivasan, S. Aesthetics and the Foundations of Science: Insights from Indian metallurgical traditions. In: B.V. Sreekantan, (ed.) Foundations of Science. PHISPC series, Pearson & Longman.

-Srinivasan, S. Dance as ritual in negotiations of inner and outer space. 'Change and Stability in Rituals', Conference of South Asia Institute, Heidelberg University & Max Mueller Bhavan, New Delhi

-Srinivasan, S, Jain bronzes of Karnataka. Conference on 'Jainism in Karnataka', South Asia Institute, Heidelberg University & National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore.

-Srinivasan, S. 'From temple to mantelpiece: Changing paradigms in the art and craft of south Indian bronzes', Traditional Arts of South Asia. Ed. Crispin Branfoot, London: Saffron Press.

-Srinivasan, S. 'Dialogue between science and religion: A case study of the Hindu Nataraja bronze'. Ed. B.V. Subbarayappa and J. Staune, Proceedings of the 22nd International History of Science Congress. Chinese Academy of Sciences.

-Srinivasan, S., Sinopoli, C., Morrison, K., Gopal, K, Ranganathan, S. 'Beginnings of the use of steel at the megalithic site of Kadebakele (c. 800-400 BCE)'. Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on the Beginning of the Use of Metals and Alloys, Beijing.

-'Dholavira, Insights from metal analysis'. 19th International Conference on South Asian Archaeology Conference, Ravenna, Italy July 2007

-'Ancient Indian Metallurgy and Technology', Symposium on Classical Indian Sciences, Poornapragnya Institute, Feb 2007

Selected invited lectures or conference papers (excluding published conference papers)

· Skilled metal craft of delta bronze mirrors at Aranmula, Kerala, University of Toyoma, Japan, Seminar on Heat-treatment of high-tin bronzes, July 2008
· Indian Wootz steel, Centre de Recherche et de Restauration des Musees de France, Paris, Feb 2007.
· 'Art & Science of Chola bronzes', Royal Asiatic Society, London, Feb 6th coinciding with the exhibition 'Chola: Sacred bronzes from southern India'
· 'South Indian bronzes: concepts of inner and outer space', Indian Arts Circle, London, Jan 30
· 'Siva as Cosmic Dancer'. Royal Academy of Arts, London coinciding with exhibition on 'Chola: Sacred bronzes from Southern India', Jan 19th 2007
· 'Archaeometallurgical and archaeo-astronomical insights on south Indian bronzes', International Workshop on Science in Culture, sponsored by UNESCO, International Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy, 23-28 Oct 2006
· 'Dance as ritual in negotiations of 'inner' and 'outer' space: insights from prehistory to present day in south India' Conference on Change and Stability in Rituals, Heidelberg University, at Max Mueller Bhavan, New Delhi, 11-14th Oct 2006
· 'Preliminary investigations on Megalithic iron from Kadebakele'. S. Srinivasan, C. Sinopoli, K. Morrison, Gopal, S. Ranganathan, Conference on Beginning of Use of Metals and Alloys, Beijing, Sept. 2006
· 'Dialogue between Science and Religion: A case study of the Hindu Nataraja bronze'.
Paper presented at session on Dialogue between Science and Religion at 22nd International Conference of History of Science, Beijing, July 23-28 2005
· 'Investigating martial arts swords from Kerala' at International conference on 'Metallurgy: A touchstone for cross-cultural interactions' at British Museum, London, April 28-29, 2005
· 'Archaeometallurgy of bronzes from South India and Sri Lanka' Uppsala University, Sweden, Nov 2002 as Visiting Faculty, Dept. of Archaeology, Uppsala University.
· 'From temple to mantelpiece: changing paradigms in the art and craft of south Indian metal icons'. International conference on 'South Asian Arts: Past Practice, Living Traditions' at PRASADA, De Montfort University, Leicester, UK, June 2002.
· Delegate at International Seminar on Proposed Asian Institute of Museology and Culture in Development, organized by UNESCO and Central Cultural fund, Sri Lanka, May 2002
· 'Image casting and high-tin bronze traditions in south India', International conference on Metals in Antiquity: Founders, Platers and Smiths at Oxford University (Sept. 1999)
· 'Ethnographic metal working in India', Archaeology Dept., Univ. of Sheffield (Nov. 1999)
· 'Finger-printing south Indian images using lead isotope analysis', at COST-G1 meeting on Ion Bean Analysis in Art & Archaeology, European Commission & University of Oxford, Nov. 1998
· 'High-tin beta bronze vessels and delta bronze mirrors from southern India', at Dept. of Materials Science, Lehigh University, USA, Oct. 1998.
· 'Aspects of continuity in copper-base metallurgy from Indus Valley into present day", Conference on The Present and Future of Indus Valley Archaeology, at University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1998.
· 'Dating Chola bronzes', for International Music and Arts Society, Bangalore (Mar. 2000).
· 'Authentication and finger-printing of metal artefacts' at seminar on 'Authentification of Museum Artefacts' at National Museum, New Delhi as part of Enduring Image exhibition from British Museum, UK, Dec 1997.
· 'Archaeometallurgy of South Indian bronzes' at Nehru Centre, London and Institute as part of seminars organized by 'Festival of India's South' in UK, June 1996
· 'Crucible steel from South India' at Seminar on 'Early Production of Steel', at Institute of Archaeology, University College London (June 1996).
· 'High tin mirrors from Kerala', World Archaeology Congress (WAC-3), New Delhi (1994)
· Srinivasan, Sharada & Sarma, Nataraj on 'History of Measurement of Time in Bombay' for the Eighth International Scientific Instrument Symposium of the Society for the History and Philosophy of Science, London, at Burlington House, Society for Antiquaries, 12-16, Sept. 1988

Bharata Natyam Dance Recitals cum Academic Lectures

The Art & Science of Chola Bronzes. Royal Asiatic Society, London, 6th Feb 2007. Fulltext

Siva as cosmic dancer: Archaeometallurgical and astro-archaeological studies on South Indian icon; Royal Academy of Arts, London, Jan 2007, coinciding with the exhibition Chola: Sacred bronzes from southern India Fulltext

Amidst the musical pillars of Hampi; Lecture-cum-Bharata Natyam dance recital at Nehru Centre, London 2005

Review

Review of Dr. Sharada's lecture-cum classical dance performance on 'Art & Science of Chola bronzes' at Royal Asiatic Society, London coinciding with Royal Academy of Arts, London exhibition on 'Chola: Sacred bronzes from southern India' by Jon Stock (Editor, Weekend Telegraph, London): (April 1st 2007)

Video Links

You tube video on Casting Nataraja and Metal Images at Swamimalai, Tanjavur district, Southern India, narrated by Dr. Sharada Srinivasan and shot by Peter Vemming, Middelaldercentret, Denmark
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=Xrire4qPFpY

2. Entry for AAAS Science 2009 Phd dance contest; on Bharata Natyam dance based interpretation of Dr, Sharada Srinivasan's Phd thesis titled 'Archaeometallurgical and Art Historical Investigations on South Indian metal icons: the enigma of the dancing panchaloha metal icons' (1996), UCL, London, video by Peter Vemming, Middelacentret, Denmark

http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=LsfQy_5uvnA

3. Video of Bharata Natyam dance performance by Dr. Sharada Srinivasan of Mahadeva Shiva Shambho, at the event and exhibition 'Cosmic Dance of Siva' at Alliance Francaise, Bangalore, June 2008, video by Rakesh and Digvijay Mallah
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=rpEeqWqYBi0