Bibliometric mapping of Arabic, Persian, Ottoman, and Sanskrit manuscripts research

Abstract

The present manuscript study aims to examine publication trends, growth patterns, leading authors, collaborative networks, and thematic developments in Arabic, Persian, Ottoman and Sanskrit manuscript studies. Using a bibliometric approach, the study extracted 316 publications from the Scopus database. The study findings indicate that the period 2016–2024 was the most prolific in terms of annual scientific production, accounting for 59.4% of the total. The Journal of Islamic Manuscripts was identified as the leading journal, contributing 18 publications, and Qatar University and the University of Granada were the most productive institutions, each with eight publications. Germany recorded the highest output with 13 articles (multiple country publications [MCP]: 7.7%), followed by the USA with 12 articles. The findings show recent integration of computational techniques, including optical character recognition, image segmentation, metadata extraction, and deep learning, in manuscript scholarship. The study highlights the need for further research to enhance preservation practices, improve access, and guide future research directions.