Lapis lazuli

Lapis lazuli is a deep-blue metamorphic rock used as a semi-precious stone that has been prized since antiquity for its intense color. Its name comes from the Persian word for the gem, lāžward, and is the root for the word "blue" in several languages, including Spanish and Portuguese azul and English azure. Lapis lazuli is made mostly of the minerals lazurite, pyrite, diopside, and calcite.

People have mined lapis lazuli since the 7th millennium BC in places like Sar-i Sang and Shortugai in Badakhshan province in modern northeast Afghanistan. Very old lapis lazuli artifacts, dating to 7570 BC, have been found at Bhirrana, which is the oldest site of the Indus Valley Civilisation. Lapis was highly valued by the Indus Valley Civilisation and has been found in ancient burials in places like Mehrgarh, the Caucasus, and even as far away as Mauritania. It was also used in the funeral mask of Tutankhamun.

By the end of the Middle Ages, Europe imported lapis lazuli to grind it into powder to make ultramarine pigment. This pigment was used by important artists of the Renaissance and Baroque, including Masaccio, Perugino, Titian, and Vermeer, often for the clothing of central figures in their paintings, especially the Virgin Mary. Ultramarine has also been found in the dental tartar of medieval nuns and scribes, perhaps from licking their painting brushes while making texts and manuscripts.

History

Lapis lazuli has been used since very old times. People first found it around 4900–4000 BCE in places like Mesopotamia. It likely came from faraway mines, such as in Badakhshan.

The name of this beautiful blue stone comes from old Persian words. These words helped create the word for the color blue in many languages, like the Spanish and Portuguese word azul. Today, lapis lazuli is still mined in places such as northeast Afghanistan, west of Lake Baikal in Russia, and in the Andes mountains in Chile. Smaller amounts are also found in Pakistan, Italy, Mongolia, the United States, and Canada.

Science and uses

Lapis lazuli is a beautiful blue stone that is very special because of its color. The blue color comes from a special ingredient called lazurite, which is part of the stone. Lapis lazuli also contains other minerals like calcite, which is white, and pyrite, which looks metallic and yellow.

The blue color in lapis lazuli is created by tiny parts of sulfur inside the stone. These parts work together to make the stone look blue. Sometimes, other types of sulfur can make the stone look a bit yellow or red instead.