Lapis Lazuli Basics
Handmade jewelry contains a wide variety of beautiful precious and semi-precious gems, each with its own distinctive color, personality, and meaning. Lapis lazuli, one of the most popular and celebrated gems used in jewelry, is no exception. Its hypnotizing deep blue color and otherworldly presence make the lapis lazuli crystal one of the most sought-after, highly-prized stones in existence. Here’s what you need to know about lapis lazuli when purchasing high-quality handmade jewelry.
Lapis Lazuli 101
Revered since ancient times, the lapis lazuli crystal is a metamorphic rock that is used in jewelry and other ornamental goods as a semi-precious stone. Known for its deep blue color and vitreous luster, lapis lazuli comes from the Latin lapis, meaning “stone,” and azul, meaning “blue.” Lapis lazuli, or lapis for short, was originally mined during the 7th millennium BCE, in the Sar-i Sang region of Afghanistan. It is said that Lapis Lazuli was used to decorate the tombs and funeral masks of ancient Egyptian pharaohs including Tutankhamun (King Tut), as well as for ornamentation on the Royal Treasure of Ur, an ancient Sumerian city/state in Mesopotamia. The gem has not waned in popularity over the millennia- many handmade jewelry craftspeople still use Lapis Lazuli with regularity in their modern creations.
Metaphysical Properties of Lapis Lazuli
With its natural depth and beauty that evokes imagery of the night sky or the bottom of the ocean, Lapis Lazuli has long been revered for its ability to calm the mind and turn focus inward so that an individual can find his or her “happy place.” Lapis Lazuli is also said to bring about insight and spiritual awareness, as well as to bridge the gap between the physical world and the spiritual realm. The stone contains properties of abundance and prosperity, thanks to its deposits of calcite and pyrite, which give it distinctive white and gold flecks. Practitioners of meditation enjoy the transcendental qualities of the crystal, and hold it in their hands during their practice for its mind-expanding, therapeutic elements.
Regardless of whether you are a believer of its metaphysical elements or you simply appreciate its unparalleled, unique beauty, Lapis Lazuli is an excellent choice for an exquisite, one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry that means something to its wearer. A stone as ancient as the Earth itself, Lapis Lazuli is a truly distinctive stone that stands apart from other gems and minerals, and will likely retain the same admiration and popularity for years to come.
Lapis Lazuli 101
Revered since ancient times, the lapis lazuli crystal is a metamorphic rock that is used in jewelry and other ornamental goods as a semi-precious stone. Known for its deep blue color and vitreous luster, lapis lazuli comes from the Latin lapis, meaning “stone,” and azul, meaning “blue.” Lapis lazuli, or lapis for short, was originally mined during the 7th millennium BCE, in the Sar-i Sang region of Afghanistan. It is said that Lapis Lazuli was used to decorate the tombs and funeral masks of ancient Egyptian pharaohs including Tutankhamun (King Tut), as well as for ornamentation on the Royal Treasure of Ur, an ancient Sumerian city/state in Mesopotamia. The gem has not waned in popularity over the millennia- many handmade jewelry craftspeople still use Lapis Lazuli with regularity in their modern creations.
Metaphysical Properties of Lapis Lazuli
With its natural depth and beauty that evokes imagery of the night sky or the bottom of the ocean, Lapis Lazuli has long been revered for its ability to calm the mind and turn focus inward so that an individual can find his or her “happy place.” Lapis Lazuli is also said to bring about insight and spiritual awareness, as well as to bridge the gap between the physical world and the spiritual realm. The stone contains properties of abundance and prosperity, thanks to its deposits of calcite and pyrite, which give it distinctive white and gold flecks. Practitioners of meditation enjoy the transcendental qualities of the crystal, and hold it in their hands during their practice for its mind-expanding, therapeutic elements.
Regardless of whether you are a believer of its metaphysical elements or you simply appreciate its unparalleled, unique beauty, Lapis Lazuli is an excellent choice for an exquisite, one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry that means something to its wearer. A stone as ancient as the Earth itself, Lapis Lazuli is a truly distinctive stone that stands apart from other gems and minerals, and will likely retain the same admiration and popularity for years to come.
