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Lapis Lazuli
"I will have harnessed for you a chariot of Lapis Lazuli and gold, with wheels of gold and horns of Amber".
Epic of Gilgamesh (2650 BC)
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Lapis Lazuli
was mentioned in the
2650 BC
Sumerian 'Epic of
Gilgamesh'
(pictured) |
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Dating back to 2650 BC, the 'Epic of Gilgamesh' is a celebrated poem from Ancient Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) and is one of the earliest works of literary fiction. It is the story of the adventures of the king who 'surpasses all other kings', Gilgamesh and his 'wild man' sidekick, Enkidu. Apart from being a cracking yarn, Lapis Lazuli scores a mention in the poem, illustrating its importance and value to the people of the time.
One deposit has defined Lapis Lazuli, the famous Sar-e-Sang deposit located in the rugged Kokcha Valley of northern Afghanistan's remote Badakhshan district. Producing continuously for over 7,000 years, this deposit is home to some of the world's oldest gemstone mines. Sure, there are other Lapis Lazuli deposits, but Afghanistan by reputation and experience remains the finest. During antiquity, Afghani Lapis Lazuli was exported along ancient trade routes to Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome, India, China and even Japan. The medieval Persian geographer Estakhri visited the Afghani Lapis Lazuli mines in the 10th century and when Marco Polo visited them in the 13th century, he wrote: "There is a mountain in that region where the finest Lapis Lazuli in the world is found".
Not used until the middle ages, the name 'Lapis Lazuli' is from the Latin 'lapis' (stone) and 'lazulum' (blue or heaven, which was probably derived from the Persian 'lazhuward', their name for the Afghani deposit and also the origin of the word 'azure'). While in ancient Greece and Rome Lapis Lazuli was called 'sapphirus' (blue), today this name refers to the blue variety of Corundum, Sapphire.
Given its long history, Lapis Lazuli is a gem with a diverse and colourful mythology that alludes to why it was once as valuable as gold. Attributed with mystical purifying and curative properties, this ancient blue gem captivated Pagans, Jews, Christians, Buddhists and Muslims. Apart from Persian texts, it was also mentioned in the bible (Exodus 28:15-30) and in the Egyptian 'Book of the Dead'. The ancient Sumerian city of Ur had a thriving trade in Lapis Lazuli and its royal tombs, excavated in the late 1920s, contained more than 6,000 exquisite Lapis Lazuli statuettes, dishes, beads and seals. From around 3000 BC, it was the darling of Egypt and used in religious ceremonies, for personal adornment (inlaid jewellery as well as amulets and talismans), and even as an eye shadow cosmetic. The Greeks and Romans weren't far behind and in the 1st century the Roman historian Pliny the Elder described Lapis Lazuli as, "a fragment of the starry vault of heaven". A big hit with ancient alchemists, Lapis Lazuli was even used in medicine and as a pigment (the colour 'ultramarine' was once produced from crushed Lapis Lazuli, but has been made synthetically since 1828).
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Lapis Lazuli
showing its characteristic Pyrite
inclusions
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An opaque gemstone, Lapis Lazuli is actually a rock comprised primarily of Lazurite and several other minerals, including Calcite and golden sparkling flecks of Pyrite ('fool's gold', know as Marcasite when used in jewellery). When judging Lapis Lazuli, the finest colours are regarded as an even royal blue (rich purplish blue). Uneven colour or hints of green will generally negatively affect the gem's beauty and value. According to Persian treatises on the gem, Lapis Lazuli's colours can be broken down into three classifications: nili (dark blue), assemani (light blue) and sabz (green). While some prefer Lapis Lazuli that is a solid pure azure, the presence of flicks of Pyrite is coveted by many and will not adversely affect this gem's beauty if relatively small in size and well balanced in distribution. For me, the presence of Pyrite adds a certain mystical quality I find both alluring and attractive. In general, Lapis Lazuli that contains too many eye-visible Calcite or Pyrite inclusions is regarded as not as beautiful and is valued accordingly. But as with all gems, how you define 'too many' is best left to the individual. As with all gems, cut quality is also a consideration. For Lapis Lazuli the only limits are the lapidary's imagination, so whether selecting cabochons, tablets, beads, carvings or figurines, simply look for shapes and proportions pleasing to the eye. It can be difficult to find solid blues, and pieces between 10 to 20 carats in size are considered exceptionally rare.
The best thing about Lapis Lazuli is that while it remains one of the world's most enduring and beautiful opaque gemstones, it is not expensive. It's not often that a gem with such intense colours, unique inclusions, and a rich history and mythology, is still incredibly affordable. This, along with the fact that its finest deposit has remained unchanged for thousands of years, is why I regard Lapis Lazuli as one of the world's most beautiful blue gemstones.
Pyrite (Marcasite)
Apart from being an attractive inclusion in Lapis Lazuli, Pyrite is also a regular feature in jewellery, albeit under a different name. Incorrectly called Marcasite, this nomenclature overlap dates back several hundreds of years due to the visual similarities between Pyrite and Marcasite. True Marcasite is too unstable to be used in jewellery. Pyrite appears in golden metallic colours, which has led to its historic confusion with gold. In truth, experts should easily be able to tell the two apart, hence the common name, 'fool's gold'. Pyrite (Marcasite) jewellery gained popularity in Victorian England, where they were cut and polished in circular or square outlines and pave set so they sparkled like little Diamonds. Pyrite (Marcasite) sterling silver jewellery is still hugely popular today, often appearing in designs inspired by Queen Victoria's renowned passion for fine jewellery. |
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