Lapis

Item Description

Lapis Lazuli is one of the great stones of antiquity. Artifacts made from Lapis have been dated to 7570 BC at Bhirrana, India, so the material has been used for nearly 10,000 years according to archeaologists. The funeral mask of Pharoah Tutankhamun was inlaid with Lapis, as it was highly prized by the ancient Egyptians. The best known examples of Lapis are from Afghanistan, and pieces are still being collected at Sar-E-Sang, one of the oldest mines in the world, producing thousands of tons of Lapis over the years. This area is the source of the world's finest material. Lapis itself is actually a rock which is composed of a few species i.e., Lazurite / Hauyne and Sodalite, plus streaks of Calcite and Pyrite. The most highly sought after Lapis is the material that shows a soild navy blue color without any streaks of white Calcite and only tiny specs of Pyrite showing. Here we have a beautiful Lapis "Round Cabochon" stone with a rich navy blue color and tiny specks of Pyrite.