One Of The Oldest Gemstones

Lapis lazuli is one of the oldest gemstones, with evidence of its use as early as 5000 BCE.

What Makes Lapis Lazuli Special?

The stone's rich history is what makes it special, even mystical!

Lapis lazuli was first mined in present-day Afghanistan. Known at the time as, Bactria the ancient mines are the world’s oldest documented commercial gemstone sources.

In ancient Mesopotamia lapis lazuli was not just a status symbol. It was also believed the stone had protective powers and connected the earth with heaven. Assumed to house deity souls, it was used in cult and religious items, connecting the wearer to divine beings.

Ancient Egyptians used the stone in funerary objects, as it warranted safe passage to the next world. In fact, one of the most renowned lapis lazuli artifacts is Pharaoh Tutankhamun’s death mask. Due to its deep blue color, its was called the "stone of heaven" and was believed to contain the souls of gods. 

Thought history civilizations admired the stone and assigned powers to it. However, it was also a very valuable material: in ancient times it was considered more valuable than gold due to it's rarity and scarcity. Once it became popular for use in painting, as a blue pigment, the value increased even more. Creating the intense blue pigment was a difficult process and lapis remained a rare material. Today, lapis is not used to make the ultramarine pigment, as it was replaced with a synthetic material but it remains an important jewelry stone.

Is Lapis Lazuli Rare?

Since ancient times, it became much easier to transport the stone from the Afghanistan mines and more sources have been discovered. However, lapis is still mined mostly in Afghanistan, which is where the finest quality stones originate from. Sources of lapis are also found in Pakistan, Canada, Mongolia, Chile, Russia, and even the United States. While mostly found in California and Colorado, small quantities can even be found in New York State!