About the Journal

The annual peer-reviewed scholarly volume Mravaltavi (“Philological and Historical Studies”) is published by the Korneli Kekelidze National Centre of Manuscripts of Georgia (formerly the Institute of Manuscripts) since 1971.

The journal is interdisciplinary in scope and encompasses all fields related to the comprehensive study, preservation, and interpretation of manuscript heritage, including philology, codicology, history and source studies, Oriental studies, archival studies, as well as restoration and conservation.

The aim of the journal is to present new scholarly findings and ongoing research to the academic community. In doing so, it seeks to provide a foundation for further discoveries and to promote the advancement of manuscript studies and the humanities more broadly.

The volume publishes original research articles, as well as informational and review essays, which have not previously appeared in print or digital form. Submissions are accepted in Georgian and in the following European languages: English, German, and French.

The journal is published in both print and digital formats and is available in open access.

 

Publication Ethics

The Editorial Board of Mravaltavi:

• adheres to and upholds the principles and guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), as well as Recommendation CM/Rec(2022)18 adopted by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on 13 July 2022, together with its Explanatory Memorandum concerning the fight against academic fraud;
• ensures the highest possible standards of objectivity and impartiality in the evaluation of manuscripts submitted for publication.

All submissions undergo a peer-review process conducted in accordance with established academic standards and ethical guidelines.

Accordingly, once the peer-review process has been completed and a final decision has been reached on the basis of reviewers’ evaluations, the Editorial Board does not reconsider appeals regarding the acceptance or rejection of submissions.

 

Copyright Policy

The journal retains the right of first publication. Accordingly, authors are required to submit original manuscripts that have not been previously published and are not under consideration for publication elsewhere.

Cases of violation of the right of first publication will be addressed in accordance with the principles and guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Following publication, copyright remains with the author. Authors are free to reuse, republish, and distribute their published work in any form. In all such cases, however, proper acknowledgment must be given to Mravaltavi as the original place of publication.

 

Double-Blind Peer Review Process

Manuscripts submitted for publication are initially assessed by the Editor of the current volume and the Editorial Board. In view of their scholarly merit and overall quality, a submission may be rejected at this stage or sent for peer review to a specialist whose expertise corresponds to the subject matter of the article and who is institutionally unaffiliated with the author.

The journal operates a double-blind peer review system: reviewers are not informed of the author’s identity, and authors are not informed of the reviewers’ identities.

The review process generally takes between two and three months. Upon completion of the evaluation, the reviewers’ reports and the Editorial Board’s decision regarding publication or rejection are communicated to the author.

A manuscript will be published in its original form if both reviews are positive and no plagiarism is detected.

A manuscript will not be published if both reviews are negative.

If the reviewers’ opinions differ (one positive and one negative), the decision is made by the Editor-in-Chief in consultation with the Editorial Board. In such cases, the manuscript may also be submitted to a third reviewer.

The final decision may be one of the following:

1. a) acceptance without revision;
2. b) acceptance subject to revisions;
3. c) resubmission after substantial revision and further review;
4. d) rejection.

The final decision on publication, based on the reviewers’ evaluations, is made by the Editor-in-Chief in agreement with the Editorial Board.

 

Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest

Manuscripts received for review are treated as confidential documents. Access to submitted manuscripts is limited, as necessary, to the Editor-in-Chief, members of the Editorial Board, and designated reviewers.

Unpublished materials contained in a submitted manuscript may not be used by editors or reviewers without the author’s explicit written consent.

Editors and reviewers are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest and to refrain from evaluating manuscripts where their judgment could be affected by personal, professional, or institutional relationships.

Articles submitted by members of the Editorial Board are reviewed in accordance with the established procedures and are evaluated independently, without the involvement of the author in the decision-making process.

Any violations of the above principles will be addressed in accordance with the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

 

Responsibilities of the Editorial Board

The Editor-in-Chief and members of the Editorial Board make decisions regarding submitted manuscripts on the basis of their scholarly quality, plagiarism screening, and the results of the double-blind peer review process.

Any manuscript found to contain plagiarism, citation manipulation, data falsification, and/or fabrication will be rejected immediately.

If allegations concerning such misconduct are brought to the attention of the Editor-in-Chief and the Editorial Board after publication, the case will be examined in accordance with the principles and guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

 

Responsibilities of the Author

Authors must submit original work that has not been previously published and is not under consideration for publication elsewhere.

Authors are required to adhere to principles of academic integrity. All relevant scholarly literature related to the research topic must be duly acknowledged, properly cited, and included in the bibliography.

A manuscript may have one or multiple authors. Authorship should reflect each contributor’s substantive involvement in the conception of the study and the research process. In the case of multi-authored submissions, written confirmation of consent to publication must be provided by all authors.

Manuscripts must comply fully with the journal’s formatting and submission guidelines (see the section “For Authors”). Failure to adhere to these requirements may result in rejection.

Authors are also expected to respond to reviewers’ comments and to revise their manuscripts accordingly when required.

 

Responsibilities of the Reviewer

Reviewers are required to evaluate submitted manuscripts objectively and in accordance with the criteria established by the Editorial Board.

Reviews must be submitted in written form. Comments should be properly substantiated and clearly formulated. Where appropriate, reviewers may provide detailed annotations or suggested corrections directly within the manuscript.

If, for any reason, a reviewer is unable to complete the evaluation within the agreed timeframe, they must promptly inform the Editorial Board.

 

Criteria for Manuscript Evaluation

Manuscripts are evaluated according to the following criteria:

• Content – whether the aim of the study is clearly defined; the originality and scholarly significance of the evidence and arguments presented;
• Depth of Analysis and Research Quality – whether the subject is examined systematically and in sufficient depth; the coherence, substantiation, and persuasiveness of the author’s argumentation;
• Citation and Use of Sources – the relevance and reliability of the literature used; the accuracy and consistency of citations and references;
• Structure and Organization – whether the structure of the article corresponds to the stated aims and research objectives;
• Results and Contribution – the scholarly significance, originality, and reliability of the research findings.