HERBERT WARREN MASON FELLOWSHIP
The Herbert Warren Mason Fellowship, Retelling of Ancient and Medieval Myths and Legends of the Near East and Wider Mediterranean (including oral transmissions) 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’s oeuvre. 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. Read more about applying for a Mason Fellowship.
Considering the Scope of Mason’s Oeuvre
Mason’s reflections, in his own words, on the poet’s art of retelling of a myth, on myth, on mysticism and union with God, and various preparations for such experience.
Herbert W. Mason
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’Association 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 Gilgamesh transcends boundaries of age, language, religion and time. He was the translator into English and editor of Louis Massignon’s magnum opus, The Passion of al-Hallaj: Mystic and Martyr of Islam in Four Volumes. Mason’s dramatic narrative The Death of al-Hallaj has been adopted in college courses in the US and performed publicly bringing us closer to the 10th Century Muslim Mystic. His A Legend of Alexander and 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’s 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. Read more about Mason’s work here.
Collaboration Between Herbert Mason and Dino Cavallari
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’s creation of over seventy illustrations and Mason’s publication of his poetic retelling in 1970 with Gilgamesh’s 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’s home in Burgundy, France, the artist said “The ancient world survives in friendship.”
Seven Sleepers of Ephesus ASOR Exhibition
Pere Arnold Smit’s composition “The Seven Sleepers” Performed in Paris in 2005
Under the Sign of the Seven Sleepers
Cavallari Seven Sleepers Paintings
Gilgamesh ASOR Exhibition
Herbert Warren Mason Fellowship Application
Application deadline: The Mason Fellowship will be offered in 2025.
Students, scholars, poet-scholars, and artists throughout the world are invited to apply. Applicants must be ASOR members or be affiliated with an institution that is an institutional member of ASOR (see a list of Institutional Members).
Applications consist of a CV, short proposal, and budget.
- CV
- Project Proposal — The proposal should detail the project to be pursued and outline plans for the fellowship period. It should also include a discussion of how the proposed project relates to the scope of Herbert W. Mason’e oeuvre. The proposal may be a retelling of an ancient or medieval myth or legend or an artist’s illustrations thereof. The proposal should also include a statement explaining how the proposed activity is feasible and can be carried out safely in light of conditions currently in place in the project country, particularly in response to the Coronavirus pandemic. (No more than 1,500 words)
- Budget — Simple budget detailing how the award’s $5,000 will be spent.
- Names and contact information of 2-3 recommenders. ASOR will contact recommenders of applicants who move the the finalist selection stage. Optional: Applicants may submit letters of reference with the initial application, but absence of letters of support will not adversely impact the initial ranking of applications.
Applicants should submit their proposals and supporting materials as a .docx or .pdf attachment to 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 ASOR guidelines.
Please contact Marta Ostovich (programs@asor.org) with any questions.
