Marco Polo

Studies in Global Europe-Asia Connections

The Lost Photographs of the Forgotten Journey

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Abstract
On 11 January 1859, an expedition, organized by the Friulian nobles Giovan Battista Castellani and Gherardo Freschi, set sail from the port of Trieste. One of several Italian scientific and commercial expeditions of entomological interest of the mid-19th century, it sought to address the pressing issue of widespread silkworm mortality, which had brought both intensive and subsistence sericulture and the silk industry to their knees across Europe.


open access | peer reviewed

Submitted: Oct. 24, 2025 | Accepted: Dec. 9, 2025 | Published Feb. 2, 2026 | Language: it


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