author
Morris Jastrow
1861–1921
An early American expert on the ancient Near East, he helped bring Babylonian, Assyrian, and biblical traditions to a wider audience through scholarly works that were meant to be read beyond the academy. Alongside his teaching, he also served for many years as a librarian at the University of Pennsylvania.
3 Audiobooks
An Old Babylonian Version of the Gilgamesh Epic
by Morris Jastrow, Albert Tobias Clay
Babylonian-Assyrian Birth-Omens and Their Cultural Significance
by Morris Jastrow
The Religion of Babylonia and Assyria
by Morris Jastrow
About the author
Born in Warsaw on August 13, 1861, and brought to Philadelphia as a child, Morris Jastrow Jr. became a Polish-born American orientalist closely associated with the University of Pennsylvania. He studied at Penn and continued his education in Europe before returning to Philadelphia, where he built a career as both a scholar and a librarian.
Jastrow is best known for his work on Assyriology, comparative religion, and the interpretation of the ancient Near East, including its connections to the Hebrew Bible. He wrote extensively for both academic and general readers, with books on religion in Babylonia and Assyria, Hebrew and Babylonian traditions, and the civilization of the ancient Near East.
He was the son of Rabbi Marcus Jastrow, and his own career reflected a strong interest in the meeting point of languages, religions, and cultures. He died on June 22, 1921, leaving behind a body of work that helped shape English-language understanding of the ancient world.