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.
AbdullahiMJ (2010) The role of Nigerian universities in the preservation of the Arabic manuscripts. Anyigba Journal of Arts and Humanities10: 12–26.
2.
AdamKBaigAAl-MaadeedS, et al. (2018) KERTAS: Dataset for automatic dating of ancient Arabic manuscripts. International Journal on Document Analysis and Recognition (IJDAR)21(4): 283–290.
3.
AhmiA (2024) Leveraging bibliometrics and AI: Empowering islamic studies scholars to uncover emerging topics and navigate diverse perspectives. Proceeding ISETH (International Summit on Science, Technology, and Humanity): 137–144. 10.23917/iseth.5355.
4.
Al AghbariZBrookS (2009) HAH manuscripts: A holistic paradigm for classifying and retrieving historical Arabic handwritten documents. Expert Systems with Applications36(8): 10942–10951.
5.
Al-homedLSJambiKMAl-BarhamtoshyHM (2022) A novel dataset for known and unknown ancient Arabic manuscripts. In 2022 20th International Conference on Language Engineering (ESOLEC) (Vol. 20, pp. 60–65). IEEE. 10.1109/ESOLEC54569.2022.10009168
6.
AliM (2022) Modern Islamic historiography: A global perspective from South Asia. Los Angeles, CA: University of California.
7.
Al-YahyaiFAl-AmriMHeibaE, et al. (2019) Islamic manuscripts art in Arabic and Persian schools: The artistic and aesthetic values. Art and Design Review7(2): 89.
8.
BahlCD (2018) Histories of circulation: Sharing Arabic manuscripts across the Western Indian Ocean, 1400–1700.Doctoral dissertation, SOAS University of London.
9.
BalaS (2011) The preservation of ancient Arabic manuscripts: A reflection on some selected public repositories in northern Nigeria. Islamic Africa2(1): 1–10.
10.
BalaS (2012) A short description of the Jos Museum collection of Arabic manuscripts in Northern Nigeria. Annual Review of Islam in Africa11: 85–91.
11.
BarkeshliMAcetoMPacha-MiranF, et al. (2025) Folium in Persian and Islamic manuscripts (15th–19th centuries): Historical significance and analytical study. Restaurator. International Journal for the Preservation of Library and Archival Material46(1): 1–33.
12.
BertholdC (2024) Approaching the last decades of Arabic manuscript culture (1870–1930): Materiality. Journal of Islamic Manuscripts15(3): 271–323.
13.
BirnbaumE (2017) Persian manuscripts in the Birnbaum collection, Toronto: A brief catalogue. Journal of Islamic Manuscripts8(2): 144–217.
14.
CagmanFTanindiZ (1996) Remarks on some manuscripts from the Topkapi Palace treasury in the context of Ottoman-Safavid relations. Muqarnas13: 132. 10.2307/1523256.
15.
CherukodanSKabirH (2016) Adoption of DSpace by Indian libraries. Program50(2): 175–183.
16.
Clausner C, Antonacopoulos A, Mcgregor N, et al. (2018) ICFHR 2018 competition on recognition of historical arabic scientific manuscripts - RASM2018. In: 2018 16th international conference on frontiers in handwriting recognition (ICFHR), pp.471–476.10.1109/ICFHR-2018.2018.00088
17.
DéSK (1926) Notes on some Sanskrit manuscripts on Alamkara in the madras government oriental MSS. Library. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies4(2): 279–283.
18.
De NicolaB (2020) Manuscripts and digital technologies: A renewed research direction in the history of Ilkhanid Iran. Iran Namag5(1): 4–21.
19.
De PauloAFBrambillaGF (2025) Artificial intelligence and decision-making: A bibliometric study based on Scopus. Journal of Information & Knowledge Management24(4): 2550035-1–2550035-29.
20.
DrewesJ (2021) Advancing preservation for archives and manuscripts. The American Archivist84(2): 537–540.
21.
DuranAFranqueloMLCentenoMA, et al. (2011). Forgery detection on an Arabic illuminated manuscript by micro‐Raman and X‐ray fluorescence spectroscopy. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy42(1): 48–55.
22.
ElsawyEElseadawyYAttiaS (2025) ChatGPT’s potential in the deep exploration of Islamic manuscripts. IFLA Journal51(3): 766–786.
23.
FakhriatiFKalsumNUSugiartiS (2022a) Carelessness in preserving manuscripts as a heritage: Cases of local treatment in Indonesia. Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development15(3): 404–419.
24.
FakhriatiFMu’jizahMJHolilM, et al. (2022b) Don’t leave Indonesian manuscripts in danger: An analysis of digitalization and preservation. Preservation, Digital Technology and Culture51(1): 3–15.
25.
Farrahi Moghaddam R, Cheriet M, Adankon MM, et al. (2010) IBN SINA: A database for research on processing and understanding of Arabic manuscripts images. In: Proceedings of the 9th IAPR international workshop on document analysis systems, pp. 11–18. 10.1145/1815330.1815332
26.
FitryansyahMAFauziahFN (2024) Bridging traditions and technology: AI in the interpretation of Nusantara religious manuscripts. Jurnal Lektur Keagamaan22(2): 317–346.
27.
FrancoE (2003) The oldest philosophical manuscript in Sanskrit. Journal of Indian Philosophy31(1): 21–31.
28.
GulatiASinghS (2024) The changing landscape of financial services in the age of digitalization: A bibliometric analysis. NMIMS Management Review32(1): 42–57.
29.
HafizM (2023) A treasure in disarray: Reflections on the Institute of African Studies Arabic manuscripts collections. In: Timbuktu Unbound: Islamic Texts, Textual Traditions and Heritage in West Africa. Cham: Springer International, 65–92.
30.
HayezVDenoëlSGenadryZ, et al. (2004) Identification of pigments on a 16th century Persian manuscript by micro‐Raman spectroscopy. Journal of Raman Spectroscopy35(8-9): 781–785.
31.
IslamMAI (2023) Ancient Sanskrit makes remembering the past linguistic history and culture: Current influence in Bangladesh. Eastern Journal of Languages, Linguistics and Literatures4(2): 1–14.
32.
IslamMNAhmadSAqilM, et al. (2025) Application of artificial intelligence in academic libraries: A bibliometric analysis and knowledge mapping. Discover Artificial Intelligence5(59): 1–22.
33.
KalsumNURachmadiniNAmalinaKS, et al. (2025) When preservation threatens: Risks to the integrity of ancient islamic manuscripts in Indonesia. Heritage of Nusantara: International Journal of Religious Literature and Heritage14(1): 191–224.
34.
KhorsheedMS (2003) Recognising handwritten Arabic manuscripts using a single hidden Markov model. Pattern Recognition Letters24(14): 2235–2242.
35.
KulkanjanapibanPSilwattananusarnTLambovskaM (2025) Research on AI-driven innovations and services in academic libraries: A bibliometric and systematic literature review. Journal of Data and Information Science 10(4): 146–196.
36.
KuralN (2010) The preservation of Ottoman manuscripts. Studies in Conservation55(2): 40–44.
37.
LangermannYT (1996) Arabic writings in Hebrew manuscripts: a preliminary relisting. Arabic Sciences and Philosophy6(1): 137–160.
38.
LevEChipmanLN (2007) A fragment of a Judaeo-Arabic manuscript of Sābūr b. Sahl’s Al-Aqrābādhīn al-aghīr found in the Taylor-Schechter Cairo Genizah collection. Medieval Encounters13(2): 347–362.
39.
MaddenKSeifiL (2011) Digital surrogate preservation of manuscripts and Iranian heritage: Enhancing research. New Library World112(9/10): 452–465.
40.
MajhiL (2023) A study on Sanskrit Puranic manuscripts in Odisha from the period of 1801–1950. Partners Universal International Innovation Journal1(4): 126–132.
41.
MelvilleC (2018) The illustration of history in Persian manuscripts. Iran56(1): 47–63.
42.
MuralhaVSFBurgioLClarkRJH (2012) Raman spectroscopy analysis of pigments on 16–17th c. Persian manuscripts. Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy92: 21–28. 10.1016/j.saa.2012.02.020
43.
NishanthiMKumaraHUCSKonpolaKWAM (2023) Research conception of palm leaf manuscript conservation: Bibliometric analysis of Scopus database. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies10(2): 13–28.
44.
NurainiN (2025) Assessing ancient manuscript conservation practices: A case study on local content preservation at the North Sumatra State Museum. Multidisciplinary Science Journal7(1): 1–9.
45.
ÖzayM (2023) An overview on Ottoman manuscript collection in the Sayyid Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas library. Studia Islamika30(2): 235–260.
46.
Ozturk GB, Ozen B, Soygazi F (2024) Novel technology use for digital transformation of cultural heritage. Journal of Construction Engineering Management & Innovation7(3): 172–184.
47.
PeacockACS (2019) Arabic manuscripts from Buton, Southeast Sulawesi, and the literary activities of Sultan Muḥammad ʿAydarūs (1824–1851). Journal of Islamic Manuscripts10(1): 44–83.
PhatingPMishraB (2024) A review on script & languages in the study of medical manuscripts. Journal of Ayurveda and Integrated Medical Sciences9(6): 293–298.
50.
RachmanYB (2017) The use of traditional conservation methods in the preservation of ancient manuscripts: A case study from Indonesia. Preservation, Digital Technology & Culture46(3): 109–115.
51.
RachmanYB (2024) Integrating social media technology for the awareness of ancient manuscript preservation. Library Hi Tech News. 10.1108/LHTN-05-2024-0089.
52.
ReddyDS (1961) Sanskrit medical manuscripts and their importance for the history of Ayurveda. Journal of Indian Medical Heritage6(2): 48–51.
53.
RiedelDA (2015) Manuscripts, printed books, and near eastern studies in North America: The manuscripts in Arabic script of the Columbia University libraries. Journal of Islamic Manuscripts6(2–3): 280–310.
54.
SalgirliS (2025) A monstrous assemblage: The story less ordinary of a fifteenth-century Ottoman manuscript. Journal of Early Modern History29(1–2): 44–79.
55.
SametHF (2019) Ottoman songs in Sabbatian manuscripts. The Jewish Quarterly Review109(4): 567–597.
56.
SubaveerapandiyanATajANairAR (2025) Advancing open science: A bibliometric study of scholarly metadata research (1995–2024). Science & Technology Libraries 45(1): 100–129.
57.
SzántóI (2013) The Persian and Indo-Persian manuscripts of Alexander Kégl. Journal of Islamic Manuscripts4(2): 135–157.
58.
TajAGalaB (2023) Digitized rare cultural heritage treasures from the Hazrat Pir Mohammed Shah Library and Research Centre: An archival research. Kelpro Bulletin27(1): 68–82.
59.
TyagiS (2023) Preservation and conservation of indigenous manuscripts. IFLA Journal49(1): 143–156.
60.
VohraRSharmaA (2011) Preservation and conservation of manuscripts: A case study of AC Joshi library, Panjab university, Chandigarh. Library Herald49(2): 158–170.
61.
WibowoSFAlfida FuadKMa’rifatDF, et al. (2024). Preservation as a shared responsibility: Collaboration for the sustainable preservation of Ambon manuscripts. Preservation, Digital Technology and Culture53(2): 91–106.
62.
Yoltar-YildirimA (2005) A 1498–99 Khusraw va Shīrīn: Turning the pages of an Ottoman illustrated manuscript. Muqarnas22: 95–109.
63.
ZhangYFangZYangX, et al. (2023) Reconnecting the broken civilization: Patchwork integration of fragments from ancient manuscripts. In Proceedings of the 31st ACM International Conference on Multimedia, pp. 1157–1166. 10.1145/3581783.361380
