1. NAME

The name derives from the Latin "lapis", stone and "lazulum" blue or light blue, which in turn still derives from "lazhuward", the name by which the Persians designated the Afghan site and which is also the origin of the word "blue".”. While in ancient Greece and imperial Rome Lapis Lazuli was called “sapphirus” (blue), today this name refers to a variety of corundum: Sapphire.

  1. CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF LAPIS LAZULI

Lapis lazuli is an opaque gem composed of various parts of lazurite, a mineral responsible for the blue color, of calcite that causes small white streaks, and of golden pyrite chips.

  1. LAPIS LAZULI EXTRACTION

The Lapis Lazuli deposit par excellence is Sar-e-Sang, located in the rough Kokcha Valley, in the remote district of Badakhshan, in northern Afghanistan. This deposit has been active for more than 7,000 years and is home to some of the oldest mines in the world. There are certainly other deposits of Lapis Lazuli but the Afghan continues to be the best in terms of reputation and experience. In ancient times, Lapis Lazuli from Afghanistan was exported through trade routes to Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome, India, China and even Japan. The medieval Persian geographer Estakhri visited the Afghan lapis lazuli mines in the 10th century and when Marco Polo passed through the area in the 13th century he wrote: "There is a mountain in that region from which the most beautiful Lapis Lazuli in the world are extracted".

Due to its numerous deposits, Lapis Lazuli became Chile's National Stone on September 20, 1984. Other countries where this wonderful gem is extracted are Russia, Angola, Burma, Canada, Pakistan and the United States.

  1. HISTORY OF LAPIS LAZULI

Lapis lazuli has already been mentioned in 2650 BC in the "Epic of Gilgamesh", a famous poem from ancient Mesopotamia. The ancient Sumerian city of Ur enjoyed a flourishing Lapis Lazuli trade and its royal tombs, rediscovered in 1920, contained over 6,000 exquisite Lapis Lazuli statues, plates, pearls and seals. The ancient Egyptians, as well as the ancient Greeks and Romans, attributed a divine force to this blue gem. It was used for religious ceremonies and as a personal ornament, either as a talisman, amulet or jewel. It was also used to offer it as a reward for courage and especially the Romans believed it to be a powerful aphrodisiac. In the Museum of Decorative Arts in Namur you can admire an ancient Roman bust made of lapis lazuli.

In the IDC century the historical Pliny the Elder described Lapis Lazuli as a "fragment of the starry face of the sky". It has been highly appreciated by alchemists and in art lapis lazuli was used as a pigment. The gem was pulverized and mixed with oil to obtain the famous "ultramarine" blue. The wonderful shades of blue are found, for example, in the miniature shutters of the 12th century. and XIII., as well as in the "Last Supper" by Leonardo Da Vinci. The natural "ultramarine" color was highly sought after because of its color intensity and lightfastness. Its price surpassed in paint even the color made with gold. It is from 1828 that the "ultramarine" is produced synthetically, thus being more accessible.

  1. VARIETY OF LAPIS LAZULI

According to some Persian treatises that speak of this gem, its colors can be classified into three classes: "nili" (dark blue), "assemani" (light blue) and "sabz" (green).

When evaluating Lapis Lazuli, the color considered most beautiful is a uniform royal blue (a rich purplish blue). Color deformity or general traces of green negatively influence the beauty and value of these Gemstones. On the other hand, the presence of pyrite in its structure gives Lapis Lazuli a mystical and suggestive note.

Lapis lazuli is mentioned in the Epic of Gilgamesh (2650 BC)

  1. CHARACTERISTICS OF LAPIS LAZULI

Regarding its carving, Lapis Lazuli is a simple gem to work with. The only limit is imposed by the lapidary's own fantasy. In general, cabochon polishing is chosen, but it can also be faceted, shaped into pearls or sculpted. Uniform, intense blues are hard to come by, and specimens between 10 and 20 carats are considered exceptionally rare.

Lapis lazuli is not only an ancient Gemstone, with 7000 years of history, but it is also a protagonist gem of many mythologies and traditions.

  1. LAPIS LAZULI CARE

Lapis lazuli needs particular attention. It cannot be exposed to heat sources or immersed in boiling water. Soaps and acid and saline solutions should be avoided. For cleaning, a dry or slightly damp cloth is sufficient.

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