Lapis lazuli is a rare and powerful stone, known as thenational stone of Afghanistan. It has a characteristic blue color, a vitreous
to oily luster, and a hardness of 5.5. It is produced mainly in Afghanistan,
Chile, Russia and the United States. It is also the main raw material for
natural blue pigments.
Lapis Lazuli Properties: Unique Blue Color, Delicate Texture
Lapis lazuli is an alkali aluminosilicate mineral. Chemicalformula (Na,Ca)7~8(Al,Si)12(O,S)24[SO4,Cl2(OH)2], refractive index N=1.50,
hardness 5.5, glassy to oily luster .
Lapis Lazuli Color
Lapis lazuli stone has a unique blue color, including darkblue, blue-violet, sky blue, light blue, or blue-green. It is the main raw
material of natural blue pigments.
The blue color of lapis lazuli is determined by the amountof lapis lazuli minerals it contains. The more minerals lapis lazuli has, the
more intense the color, and vice versa.
And if the blue color is intense, pure and uniform, thequality and value will be higher. On the contrary, if it is interspersed with
white lines or spots, the concentration, purity and uniformity will be
impaired, which will lower the quality and price.
As lapis lazuli is usually a granular aggregate of manyminerals, cracks and crevices in the crystal are inevitable. This makes it a
delicate stone that must be treated with care and attention.
History: One Of The Oldest Gemstones
Lapis lazuli is one of the oldest gemstones, developed andused by Central Asian countries as early as 6,000 years ago. Its vivid blue
lapis lazuli color conquered the hearts of all peoples.
Thousands of years ago, in ancient Egypt, the value of lapislazuli was comparable to that of gold. In ancient India, Iran, and other
countries, lapis lazuli, turquoise, and coral were precious stones of great
value. In ancient Greece and Rome, wearing lapis lazuli jewelry was considered
a sign of wealth.
In ancient China, this blue gemstone was favored by emperorsand was often buried in the tomb, because "its color is like that of the
sky", also known as the "emperor blue".
In Ancient BabylonAnd Egypt
As a detail, lapis lazuli was very valuable in ancientBabylon and Egypt, and is expressed in poetry. For example, the demon god of
the moon is described in this divine song: "Strong as a bull, great head
and horns, perfectly shaped, long hair on his forehead, as big as lapis
lazuli."
At the time, this gemstone was believed to be a cure formelancholia and "intermittent malaria," an intermittent fever that
recurred every three days.
Lapis lazuli used to be an important item in the list oftributes given to Egypt, and was one of the most important gifts that the
Babylonian kings made to the Egyptian kings. Amulets, cylinder seals, stones
with sacred scarabs, and other artifacts found in ancient tombs and preserved
in museums were made from this material.
Therefore, although it took several years to return withtheir precious cargo, merchants traveled long distances to the Badakshan mines
to obtain this stone.
When gold and silver looted from the defeated country werereported, it was often listed ahead of gold and other valuables.
In Ancient Greek And Roman
From Greek and Roman antiquity to the Renaissance, lapislazuli was always ground into a powder to make the ultramarine pigment used in
many of the world's most famous paintings.
In the Middle Ages, the decoration of manuscripts was ahighly skilled art, and monks used the stone in the binding of scriptures by
grinding it into powder, wetting it, and kneading it with beeswax, rosin, and
sesame oil. This pigment was so valuable that working with it was a sign of
wealth.
In Ancient China
The ancient Chinese called lapis lazuli "dark bluestar-colored stone". They developed it as a cosmetic for eyebrows and made
pearl-encrusted screens with its scales.
Lapis Lazuli Meaning
As the blue color of lapis lazuli is similar to that of thesky and the ocean, it is not only poetic, but also signifies hope, peace and
harmony.
Furthermore, lapis lazuli is also a symbol of wealth andauthority. In ancient Greece, Rome, and Egypt, lapis lazuli had the same value
as gold, and wearing lapis lazuli jewelry meant that a person was very rich. In
ancient China, lapis lazuli was the favorite of the ancient emperors, as it
signified the sublime majesty of the heavens.
Lastly, since lapis lazuli is the color of the MedicineBuddha in Tibetan Buddhism, wearing lapis lazuli jewelry also means that the
Medicine Buddha will bless you with peace and health, without disease or
disaster.
For more information to click here :- calcular signo solar lunar y ascendente
Lapis Lazuli Price
Lapis lazuli is not graded as strictly as diamonds on themarket, and there is no uniform standard; some are classified according to
A-AAAAAA, others according to their color, which can be roughly divided into 3
categories:
Lapis lazuli which has a pure dark blue color, no gold(pyrite) or white (calcite) impurities, a fine and hard texture, more than 99%
of lapis lazuli minerals, is of the best quality and usually costs around $15
/gram; The price will be higher if it is made in nice sizes or accessories;
Lapis lazuli which has dark blue, sky blue or navy bluecolor, and gold or white impurity, is relatively cheaper, costing around
$5-$12/gram;
Lapis lazuli which has black and gold and white impuritiesis very cheap, costing around $5-$20/piece.
