Lapis Lazuli

Lapis lazuli is one of the oldest of all gems, with a history of use stretching back 7,000 years. Lapis is a rock and not a mineral because it is made up from various other minerals (to be a true mineral it would have one constituent only). The name derives from the Latin, lapis, which means stone, and from the Arabic, azul, which means blue.

The finest color is intense blue, lightly dusted with small flecks of golden pyrite. There should be no white calcite veins and the pyrite inclusions should be small. Stones that contain too much calcite or pyrite are not as valuable. Patches of pyrite are an important help in identifying the stone as genuine and do not detract from its value.

In ancient times, lapis lazuli was known as sapphire, which is the name that we use today for the blue corundum variety sapphire . It appears to have been the sapphire of ancient writers because Pliny refers to sapphirus as a stone sprinkled with specks of gold. A similar reference can be found in the Christian Bible in Job xxviii. 6.

With the ancient Egyptians lapis lazuli was a favourite stone for amulets and ornaments such as scarabs; it was also used by the Assyrians and Babylonians for seals. Egyptian burial sites dating before 3000 B.C. contained thousands of jewelry items, many of lapis. Powdered lapis was favored by Egyptian ladies as a cosmetic eye shadow.

The ancient royal Sumerian tombs of Ur, located near the Euphrates River in lower Iraq, contained more than 6000 beautifully executed lapis lazuli statuettes of birds, deer, and rodents as well as dishes, beads, and cylinder seals. These carved artifacts undoubtedly came from material mined in northern Afghanistan.

The Romans believed that lapis was a powerful aphrodisiac. In the Middle Ages, it was thought to keep the limbs healthy, and free the soul from error, envy and fear.

It was once believed that lapis had medicinal properties. It was ground down, mixed with milk and applied as a dressing for boils and ulcers.

The beautiful blues in paintings from the Renaissance are thanks to the blue of lapis lazuli. Ground to a powder it forms the pigment ultramarine. Ultramarine has now been largely superseded by artificial preparations.

Lapis lazuli is said to be associated with self-confidence, truthfulness, openness and inner tranquility. Lapis lazuli is the ancient stone of mental and psychological health, said to promote spiritual healing, mental calmness and strength of will, increased psychic abilities and spiritual growth.

When used during meditation, it is believed to aid in detaching the mind from the physical body and allowing for a deeper and more open state of consciousness. It helps establish a connection with the creative force and in receiving information from other planes of consciousness.

It is said to be a good stone for emotional healing and treatment of disorders of the throat, bone marrow, thymus, and immune system.