UNEARTHING THE PAST SINCE 1900
UNEARTHING THE PAST SINCE 1900
The Herbert Warren Mason Fellowship,听Retelling of Ancient and Medieval Myths and Legends of the Near East and Wider Mediterranean聽(including oral transmissions and works of art) was established in 2017 in memory of Herbert W. Mason (1932 – 2017).
The Mason Fellowship under the auspices of the American Society of Overseas Research carries a monetary value of $5,000. It will be awarded biennially to a scholar/poet/writer/artist whose project proposal comes closest in scope to Herbert Mason鈥檚 oeuvre.听The project manuscript must be translated into English. The monetary award may be used to support travel expenditures to special collections, acquire access to rare or hard to find research materials, art illustrations of a proposal or to further scholarly studies.听Read more about applying for a Mason Fellowship.听
Mason鈥檚 reflections, in his own words,听,听,听, and various preparations for such experience.
Herbert Mason was a distinguished and prolific scholar of extraordinary and wide-ranging erudition. He held the positions of University Professor, Professor of History and Religion and Aurelio Professor of History and Religious Thought at Boston University and was Founding Director of the Institute for the Study of Muslim Societies and Civilizations, Boston University and President of the L鈥橝ssociation des Amis de Louis Massignon Paris, France.
He moved gracefully between ancient and medieval Near Eastern texts and contemporary literatures. An eminent scholar and translator, writer and poet, his dramatic retelling of the ancient Sumerian Epic Poem聽骋颈濒驳补尘别蝉丑听transcends boundaries of age, language, religion and time. He was the translator into English and editor of Louis Massignon鈥檚聽magnum opus,听The Passion of al-Hallaj: Mystic and Martyr of Islam聽in Four Volumes.听Mason鈥檚 dramatic narrative聽The Death of al-Hallaj聽has been adopted in college courses in the US and performed publicly bringing us closer to the 10th Century Muslim Mystic. His聽A Legend of Alexander聽补苍诲听The Merchant and the Parrot, retellings of two classic Persian tales, capture the essence of traditional Islamic storytelling and make it live again in modern idiom. The stories themselves are concerned with universal themes such as quest, enslavement and loss, transcendent love and freedom. Mason鈥檚 books, including poetry and fiction in addition to scholarly works have been translated into numerous foreign languages, including German, Spanish, Arabic, Persian, Urdu, and Japanese.听
Herbert Mason and Dino Cavallari.
The friendship between the Italian painter Dino Cavallari and the American scholar and writer Herbert Mason dates from their meeting in Paris in 1958.
Their shared interest in the ancient Near Eastern story of Gilgamesh developed into a passion which led to Cavallari鈥檚 creation of over seventy illustrations and Mason鈥檚 publication of his poetic retelling in 1970 with Gilgamesh鈥檚 journey on the river of death as the cover art. The illustrations were painted in oil on paper covered with a varnish that enabled them to dry faster and when dried to preserve their color permanently.
One of the last times they were together in Cavallari鈥檚 home in Burgundy, France, the artist said 鈥淭he ancient world survives in friendship.鈥�
Application deadline:聽This fellowship is not being offered in 2026.
Students, scholars, poet-scholars, and artists throughout the world are invited to apply. Applicants must be聽17吃瓜members聽or be affiliated with an institution that is an institutional member of 17吃瓜(see a list of聽Institutional Members).
Applications consist of a CV, short proposal, and budget.
Applicants should submit their proposals and supporting materials as a .docx or .pdf attachment to聽programs@asor.org. Applicants who are unable to submit proposals or letters by email may send them to ASOR, 209 Commerce St., Alexandria, VA 22314.
Each recipient must submit a written report within two months of the conclusion of the award period, according to 17吃瓜guidelines.
Please contact Marta Ostovich (programs@asor.org) with any questions.
Nicholas Gill, “The Celestial Scorpion: A Renegade Constellation in Early Mesopotamia鈥�
Maria Rita Corticelli, “The Kakais of Iraq: Culture, Religion and Society”