Lapis Lazuli Explained

An Ancient Gem

The gems known as lapis lazuli are only the finest specimens of the comparatively abundant mineral of the same name. This stone was a gem of the Greek, Roman, and Hebrew scriptures, and throughout ancient times was very highly prized. Pliny likens it to the blue sky adorned with stars. Large quantities of it worked by artisans into various forms are found in early Egyptian tombs. The Chinese have also long held it in high esteem.

The Asiatic mines from which the mineral first came were visited by Marco Polo, in the year 1271 A.D.

The color of the mineral is blue. It is quite opaque. The most prized shade is ultramarine, but the stone occurs also in paler tints. Usually grains of pyrite are scattered through the stones and from this effect Pliny was able to liken it to a "starry sky." The name lapis lazuli means blue stone.

Where Its Found

The best lapis lazuli now comes from Badakschan, in the northeastern part of Afghanistan. The mining is done in the most primitive form. Huge fires are built on the rocks, and water is then thrown on them. Owing to the sudden cooling the rocks split up and can then readily be excavated. The yield, however, is small. China and other parts of Asia consume most of the supply.

The color of the stone, however, gives it a peculiar charm, and the walls of the Palace Zarskoe-Selo, Russia, built by the order of Catherine II, were entirely lined with slabs of lapis lazuli and amber. The stone was believed by the Greeks and Romans to have strong medicinal properties, and when pulverized was often used as a tonic. Even as late as the sixteenth century it was supposed to be a cure for melancholia.