A collection of rare 17th-century books, written in Chinese by Jesuit missionaries and stolen from the Jesuit Historical Institute in Rome, has been returned to Italy. The books, which cover astronomy and other scientific topics, were recovered by the Carabinieri art squad after being illegally exported to the United States.
The restitution is significant as it involves unique cultural artifacts that represent a critical period of scientific and cultural exchange between Europe and China. The books are primary sources for understanding how Jesuit missionaries used Western scientific knowledge as a tool for evangelism in China, making them invaluable for historical and academic research.