Lapis Lazuli
Attributes
Lapis Lazuli helps to stimulate the creativity and facilitates communication with the outside world. It is called the rock of truth and spiritual knowledge, supports our own development.
In many cultures it is considered a Holy Stone, a messenger of Heaven, who brings wisdom to people, driving the mind to look inside the soul and bringing comprehension.
Origin
Lapis Lazuli is a rock which is a combination of lazurite and some other minerals like calcite which appears on the stone in the form of white streaks and pyrite which create attractive patterns of golden spots.
The traditional source of the finest lapis lazuli is the same today as it was thousands of years ago—the mountains of Afghanistan. Other major sources are in Chile and Lake Baikal in Siberia, Russia. Minor sources are in Angola, Canada, Colorado (US), and Pakistan.
Lapis Lazuli used at S&A collections comes from Afghanistan.
Name
The name of the stone refers to its blue color.
Lapis in Latin means stone, and Azulain Arabic means blue.
History
For thousands of years, lapis has been valued for its vivid, exquisite color and prized just like other blue gems, for example sapphire. It was treasured by the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, Greece, and Rome.
Ancient Egyptians believed it is a heavenly stone and often used it on the statues of their gods and in burial masks, as protection for the next life. The stone has been used in the mask of Tutankhamen.
Ancient women ground down lapis into powder to make eye shadow.
Renaissance painters used lapis to make “ultramarine” blue, an expensive pigment of unrivaled brightness and stability. Michel Angelo used lapis lazuli powder for the blue colors in his frescoes for the Sistine Chapel.
Astrology
Stone associated with: Aries, Virgo, Libra, Aquarius
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