# An Interpretable Deep Learning Approach for Morphological Script Type Analysis

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2408.11150 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2408.11150/

## Key facts

- Cited by 3 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 3 of its 61 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 20 Aug 2024.

## Builds on (most cited first, 3 of 3)

- [Deep Adaptive Learning for Writer Identification based on Single Handwritten Word Images](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1809.10954/) (2018)
- [Offline Writer Identification Using Convolutional Neural Network Activation Features](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.17029/) (2024)
- [A Probabilistic Generative Model for Typographical Analysis of Early Modern Printing](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2005.01646/) (2020)

## Built on by (most cited first, 3 of 3)

- [The OCR Quest for Generalization: Learning to recognize low-resource alphabets with model editing](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2506.06761/) (2025)
- [Leveraging Morphology for Historical Script Metrological Analysis](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2606.09446/) (2026)
- [Theatre Chapbooks At Scale: A Statistical Comparative Analysis of Typography](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2607.27266/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Defining script types and establishing classification criteria for medieval handwriting is a central aspect of palaeographical analysis. However, existing typologies often encounter methodological challenges, such as descriptive limitations and subjective criteria. We propose an interpretable deep learning-based approach to morphological script type analysis, which enables systematic and objective analysis and contributes to bridging the gap between qualitative observations and quantitative measurements. More precisely, we adapt a deep instance segmentation method to learn comparable character prototypes, representative of letter morphology, and provide qualitative and quantitative tools for their comparison and analysis. We demonstrate our approach by applying it to the Textualis Formata script type and its two subtypes formalized by A. Derolez: Northern and Southern Textualis