{"product_id":"sps2424lapi-1","title":"Lapis","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"\u003eLapis Lazuli\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLapis lazuli\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(\u003cspan class=\"rt-commentedText nowrap\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"IPA-label IPA-label-small\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/British_English\" title=\"British English\"\u003eUK\u003c\/a\u003e:\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"IPA nopopups noexcerpt\" lang=\"en-fonipa\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Help:IPA\/English\" title=\"Help:IPA\/English\"\u003e\/\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan title=\"\/ˌ\/: secondary stress follows\"\u003eˌ\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"'l' in 'lie'\"\u003el\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"\/æ\/: 'a' in 'bad'\"\u003eæ\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"'p' in 'pie'\"\u003ep\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"\/ɪ\/: 'i' in 'kit'\"\u003eɪ\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"'s' in 'sigh'\"\u003es\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"wrap\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan title=\"\/ˈ\/: primary stress follows\"\u003eˈ\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"'l' in 'lie'\"\u003el\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"\/æ\/: 'a' in 'bad'\"\u003eæ\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"'z' in 'zoom'\"\u003ez\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e(\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan title=\"\/j\/: 'y' in 'yes'\"\u003ej\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e)\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan title=\"\/ʊ\/: 'u' in 'push'\"\u003eʊ\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"'l' in 'lie'\"\u003el\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"\/i\/: 'y' in 'happy'\"\u003ei\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e,\u003cspan class=\"wrap\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan title=\"\/ˈ\/: primary stress follows\"\u003eˈ\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"'l' in 'lie'\"\u003el\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"\/æ\/: 'a' in 'bad'\"\u003eæ\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"\/ʒ\/: 's' in 'pleasure'\"\u003eʒ\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"\/ʊ\/: 'u' in 'push'\"\u003eʊ\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e-,\u003cspan class=\"wrap\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e-\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan title=\"\/ˌ\/: secondary stress follows\"\u003eˌ\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"'l' in 'lie'\"\u003el\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"\/i\/: 'y' in 'happy'\"\u003ei\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\/\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e;\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"rt-commentedText nowrap\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"IPA-label IPA-label-small\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/American_English\" title=\"American English\"\u003eUS\u003c\/a\u003e:\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"IPA nopopups noexcerpt\" lang=\"en-fonipa\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Help:IPA\/English\" title=\"Help:IPA\/English\"\u003e\/\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan title=\"\/ˈ\/: primary stress follows\"\u003eˈ\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"'l' in 'lie'\"\u003el\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"\/æ\/: 'a' in 'bad'\"\u003eæ\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"'z' in 'zoom'\"\u003ez\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e(\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan title=\"\/j\/: 'y' in 'yes'\"\u003ej\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e)\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan title=\"\/ə\/: 'a' in 'about'\"\u003eə\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"'l' in 'lie'\"\u003el\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"\/i\/: 'y' in 'happy'\"\u003ei\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e,\u003cspan class=\"wrap\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan title=\"\/ˈ\/: primary stress follows\"\u003eˈ\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"'l' in 'lie'\"\u003el\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"\/æ\/: 'a' in 'bad'\"\u003eæ\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"\/ʒ\/: 's' in 'pleasure'\"\u003eʒ\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"\/ə\/: 'a' in 'about'\"\u003eə\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e-,\u003cspan class=\"wrap\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e-\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan title=\"\/ˌ\/: secondary stress follows\"\u003eˌ\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"'l' in 'lie'\"\u003el\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"\/i\/: 'y' in 'happy'\"\u003ei\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\/\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e), or\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003elapis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003efor short, is a deep-blue\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Metamorphic_rock\" title=\"Metamorphic rock\"\u003emetamorphic rock\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eused as a\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Gemstone\" title=\"Gemstone\"\u003esemi-precious stone\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ethat has been prized since\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ancient_history\" title=\"Ancient history\"\u003eantiquity\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003efor its intense color. Originating from the Persian word for the gem,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003elāžward\u003c\/i\u003e,\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-1\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e1\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003elapis lazuli is a rock composed primarily of the minerals\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lazurite\" title=\"Lazurite\"\u003elazurite\u003c\/a\u003e,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pyrite\" title=\"Pyrite\"\u003epyrite\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eand\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Calcite\" title=\"Calcite\"\u003ecalcite\u003c\/a\u003e. As early as the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/7th_millennium_BC\" title=\"7th millennium BC\"\u003e7th millennium BC\u003c\/a\u003e, lapis lazuli was mined in the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sar-i_Sang\" title=\"Sar-i Sang\"\u003eSar-i Sang\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003emines,\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-Ashok_Roy_2009_2-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-Ashok_Roy_2009-2\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e2\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ein\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Shortugai\" title=\"Shortugai\"\u003eShortugai\u003c\/a\u003e, and in other mines in\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Badakhshan\" title=\"Badakhshan\"\u003eBadakhshan\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eprovince in modern northeast\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Afghanistan\" title=\"Afghanistan\"\u003eAfghanistan\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-3\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-3\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e3\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eLapis lazuli artifacts, dated to 7570 BC, have been found at\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bhirrana\" title=\"Bhirrana\"\u003eBhirrana\u003c\/a\u003e, which is the oldest site of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Indus_Valley_civilisation\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Indus Valley civilisation\"\u003eIndus Valley civilisation\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-:0_4-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-:0-4\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e4\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eLapis was highly valued by the Indus Valley Civilisation (3300–1900 BC).\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-:0_4-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-:0-4\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e4\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-5\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-5\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e5\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-6\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-6\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e6\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eLapis beads have been found at\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Neolithic\" title=\"Neolithic\"\u003eNeolithic\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eburials in\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mehrgarh\" title=\"Mehrgarh\"\u003eMehrgarh\u003c\/a\u003e, the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Caucasus\" title=\"Caucasus\"\u003eCaucasus\u003c\/a\u003e, and as far away as\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mauritania\" title=\"Mauritania\"\u003eMauritania\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-bc1995_7-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-bc1995-7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e7\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eIt was used in the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tutankhamun%27s_mask\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Tutankhamun's mask\"\u003efuneral mask of Tutankhamun\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(1341–1323 BC).\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-8\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-8\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e8\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy the end of the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Middle_Ages\" title=\"Middle Ages\"\u003eMiddle Ages\u003c\/a\u003e, lapis lazuli began to be exported to Europe, where it was ground into powder and made into the pigment\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ultramarine\" title=\"Ultramarine\"\u003eultramarine\u003c\/a\u003e. Ultramarine was used by some of the most important artists of the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Renaissance\" title=\"Renaissance\"\u003eRenaissance\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eand\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Baroque\" title=\"Baroque\"\u003eBaroque\u003c\/a\u003e, including\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Masaccio\" title=\"Masaccio\"\u003eMasaccio\u003c\/a\u003e,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Perugino\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Perugino\"\u003ePerugino\u003c\/a\u003e,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Titian\" title=\"Titian\"\u003eTitian\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eand\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Vermeer\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Vermeer\"\u003eVermeer\u003c\/a\u003e, and was often reserved for the clothing of the central figures of their paintings, especially the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Mary\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Virgin Mary\"\u003eVirgin Mary\u003c\/a\u003e. Ultramarine has also been found in\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Dental_tartar\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Dental tartar\"\u003edental tartar\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eof\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Middle_Ages\" title=\"Middle Ages\"\u003emedieval\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nuns\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Nuns\"\u003enuns\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eand\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Scribes\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Scribes\"\u003escribes\u003c\/a\u003e, perhaps as a result of licking their painting brushes while producing medieval texts and manuscripts.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-9\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-9\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e9\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mw-heading mw-heading2\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"History\"\u003eHistory\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"mw-editsection\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mw-editsection-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Lapis_lazuli\u0026amp;action=edit\u0026amp;section=1\" title=\"Edit section: History\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eedit\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mw-editsection-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"side-box side-box-right plainlinks sistersitebox\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"side-box-flex\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"side-box-image\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"noviewer\" typeof=\"mw:File\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/9\/99\/Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg\/40px-Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg.png\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" class=\"mw-file-element\" srcset=\"\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/9\/99\/Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg\/60px-Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg.png 1.5x, \/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/9\/99\/Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg\/80px-Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg.png 2x\" data-file-width=\"512\" data-file-height=\"512\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"side-box-text plainlist\"\u003eLook up\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/lapis_lazuli\" class=\"extiw\" title=\"wiktionary:lapis lazuli\"\u003elapis lazuli\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ein Wiktionary, the free dictionary.\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExcavations from\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tepe_Gawra\" title=\"Tepe Gawra\"\u003eTepe Gawra\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eshow that Lapis lazuli was introduced to\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mesopotamia\" title=\"Mesopotamia\"\u003eMesopotamia\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eapproximately in the late\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ubaid_period\" title=\"Ubaid period\"\u003eUbaid period\u003c\/a\u003e, c. 4900–4000 BCE.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-10\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-10\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e10\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eA traditional understanding was that the lapis was mined some fifteen hundred miles to the east – in\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Badakhshan\" title=\"Badakhshan\"\u003eBadakhshan\u003c\/a\u003e. Indeed, the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Persian_language\" title=\"Persian language\"\u003ePersian\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"Persian-language text\"\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"fa\" dir=\"rtl\"\u003eلاژورد\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"Persian-language romanization\"\u003e\u003ci lang=\"fa-Latn\"\u003elāžavard\/lāževard\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, also written\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"Persian-language text\"\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"fa\" dir=\"rtl\"\u003eلاجورد\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"Persian-language romanization\"\u003e\u003ci lang=\"fa-Latn\"\u003elājevard\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, is commonly interpreted as having an origin in a local place name.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the Persian, the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Arabic_language\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Arabic language\"\u003eArabic\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"Arabic-language text\"\u003e\u003cspan lang=\"ar\" dir=\"rtl\"\u003eلازورد\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"Arabic-language romanization\"\u003e\u003ci lang=\"ar-Latn\"\u003elāzaward\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis the etymological source of both the English word\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eazure\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(via Old French\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003eazur\u003c\/i\u003e) and\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Medieval_Latin\" title=\"Medieval Latin\"\u003eMedieval Latin\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"Latin-language text\"\u003e\u003ci lang=\"la\"\u003elazulum\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e, which came to mean 'heaven' or 'sky'. To disambiguate,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"Latin-language text\"\u003e\u003ci lang=\"la\"\u003elapis lazulī\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(\"stone of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"Latin-language text\"\u003e\u003ci lang=\"la\"\u003elazulum\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\") was used to refer to the stone itself, and is the term ultimately imported into\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Middle_English\" title=\"Middle English\"\u003eMiddle English\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-:2_11-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-:2-11\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e11\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"Latin-language text\"\u003e\u003ci lang=\"la\"\u003eLazulum\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis etymologically related to the color blue, and used as a root for the word for blue in several languages, including Spanish and Portuguese\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan title=\"Spanish-language text\"\u003e\u003ci lang=\"es\"\u003eazul\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-:2_11-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-:2-11\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e11\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-:1_12-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-:1-12\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e12\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMines in northeast Afghanistan continue to be a major source of lapis lazuli. Important amounts are also produced from mines west of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lake_Baikal\" title=\"Lake Baikal\"\u003eLake Baikal\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ein Russia, and in the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Andes\" title=\"Andes\"\u003eAndes\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003emountains in\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Chile\" title=\"Chile\"\u003eChile\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ewhich is the source that the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Inca\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Inca\"\u003eInca\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eused to carve artifacts and jewelry. Smaller quantities are mined in Pakistan, Italy, Mongolia, the United States, and Canada.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-CGA_13-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-CGA-13\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e13\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mw-heading mw-heading2\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"Science_and_uses\"\u003eScience and uses\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"mw-editsection\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mw-editsection-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Lapis_lazuli\u0026amp;action=edit\u0026amp;section=2\" title=\"Edit section: Science and uses\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eedit\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mw-editsection-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mw-heading mw-heading3\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"Composition\"\u003eComposition\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"mw-editsection\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mw-editsection-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Lapis_lazuli\u0026amp;action=edit\u0026amp;section=3\" title=\"Edit section: Composition\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eedit\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mw-editsection-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe most important mineral component of lapis lazuli is\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lazurite\" title=\"Lazurite\"\u003elazurite\u003c\/a\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-14\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-14\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e14\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(25% to 40%),\u003csup class=\"noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact\"\u003e[\u003ci\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:Citation_needed\" title=\"Wikipedia:Citation needed\"\u003e\u003cspan title=\"This claim needs references to reliable sources. (August 2024)\"\u003ecitation needed\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e]\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ea blue\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Feldspathoid\" title=\"Feldspathoid\"\u003efeldspathoid\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Silicate_mineral\" title=\"Silicate mineral\"\u003esilicate mineral\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eof the sodalite family, with the formula\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"chemf nowrap\"\u003e(Na,Ca)\u003cspan class=\"nowrap\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003csub\u003e8\u003c\/sub\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e(AlSiO\u003cspan class=\"nowrap\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003csub\u003e4\u003c\/sub\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e)\u003cspan class=\"nowrap\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003csub\u003e6\u003c\/sub\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e(S,SO\u003cspan class=\"nowrap\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003csub\u003e4\u003c\/sub\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e,Cl)\u003cspan class=\"nowrap\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003csub\u003e1–2\u003c\/sub\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-15\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-15\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e15\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eMost lapis lazuli also contains\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Calcite\" title=\"Calcite\"\u003ecalcite\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(white), and\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pyrite\" title=\"Pyrite\"\u003epyrite\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(metallic yellow). Some samples of lapis lazuli contain\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Augite\" title=\"Augite\"\u003eaugite\u003c\/a\u003e,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Diopside\" title=\"Diopside\"\u003ediopside\u003c\/a\u003e,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Enstatite\" title=\"Enstatite\"\u003eenstatite\u003c\/a\u003e,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mica\" title=\"Mica\"\u003emica\u003c\/a\u003e,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hauynite\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Hauynite\"\u003ehauynite\u003c\/a\u003e,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hornblende\" title=\"Hornblende\"\u003ehornblende\u003c\/a\u003e,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nosean\" title=\"Nosean\"\u003enosean\u003c\/a\u003e, and sulfur-rich\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/L%C3%B6llingite\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Löllingite\"\u003elöllingite\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003egeyerite\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLapis lazuli usually occurs in crystalline\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Marble\" title=\"Marble\"\u003emarble\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eas a result of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Contact_metamorphism\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Contact metamorphism\"\u003econtact metamorphism\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mw-heading mw-heading3\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"Color\"\u003eColor\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"mw-editsection\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mw-editsection-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Lapis_lazuli\u0026amp;action=edit\u0026amp;section=4\" title=\"Edit section: Color\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eedit\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mw-editsection-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cfigure class=\"mw-default-size\" typeof=\"mw:File\/Thumb\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Lapis-Lazuli_microscope_x240.jpg\" class=\"mw-file-description\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/3\/30\/Lapis-Lazuli_microscope_x240.jpg\/170px-Lapis-Lazuli_microscope_x240.jpg\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"170\" height=\"257\" class=\"mw-file-element\" srcset=\"\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/3\/30\/Lapis-Lazuli_microscope_x240.jpg\/255px-Lapis-Lazuli_microscope_x240.jpg 1.5x, \/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/3\/30\/Lapis-Lazuli_microscope_x240.jpg\/340px-Lapis-Lazuli_microscope_x240.jpg 2x\" data-file-width=\"3006\" data-file-height=\"4536\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003cfigcaption\u003eLapis lazuli seen through a microscope (x240 magnification)\u003c\/figcaption\u003e\n\u003c\/figure\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe intense blue color is due to the presence of the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Trisulfur\" title=\"Trisulfur\"\u003etrisulfur\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Radical_anion\" title=\"Radical anion\"\u003eradical anion\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(\u003cspan class=\"chemf nowrap\"\u003eS\u003cspan class=\"nowrap\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003csup\u003e•−\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003csub\u003e3\u003c\/sub\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e) in the crystal.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-16\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-16\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e16\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eThe presence of disulfur (\u003cspan class=\"chemf nowrap\"\u003eS\u003cspan class=\"nowrap\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003csup\u003e•−\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003csub\u003e2\u003c\/sub\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e) and tetrasulfur (\u003cspan class=\"chemf nowrap\"\u003eS\u003cspan class=\"nowrap\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003csup\u003e•−\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003csub\u003e4\u003c\/sub\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e) radicals can shift the color towards yellow or red, respectively.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-17\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-17\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e17\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eThese radical anions substitute for the chloride anions within the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sodalite\" title=\"Sodalite\"\u003esodalite\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003estructure.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-18\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-18\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e18\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eThe\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"chemf nowrap\"\u003eS\u003cspan class=\"nowrap\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003csup\u003e•−\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003csub\u003e3\u003c\/sub\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eradical anion exhibits a visible absorption band in the range 595–620 nm with high molar absorptivity, leading to its bright blue color.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-19\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-19\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e19\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mw-heading mw-heading3\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"Sources\"\u003eSources\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"mw-editsection\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mw-editsection-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Lapis_lazuli\u0026amp;action=edit\u0026amp;section=5\" title=\"Edit section: Sources\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eedit\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mw-editsection-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLapis lazuli is found in limestone in the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Kokcha_River\" title=\"Kokcha River\"\u003eKokcha River\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003evalley of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Badakhshan\" title=\"Badakhshan\"\u003eBadakhshan\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eprovince in north-eastern Afghanistan, where the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sar-i_Sang\" title=\"Sar-i Sang\"\u003eSar-i Sang\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003emine deposits have been worked for more than 6,000 years.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-co2003_20-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-co2003-20\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e20\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eAfghanistan was the source of lapis for the ancient Persian, Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations, as well as the later Greeks and Romans. Ancient Egyptians obtained the material through trade with Mesopotamians, as part of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Egypt%E2%80%93Mesopotamia_relations\" title=\"Egypt–Mesopotamia relations\"\u003eEgypt–Mesopotamia relations\u003c\/a\u003e. During the height of the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Indus_Valley_civilisation\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Indus Valley civilisation\"\u003eIndus Valley civilisation\u003c\/a\u003e, approximately 2000 BC, the Harappan colony, now known as\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Shortugai\" title=\"Shortugai\"\u003eShortugai\u003c\/a\u003e, was established near the lapis mines.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-bc1995_7-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-bc1995-7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e7\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn addition to the Afghan deposits, lapis is also extracted in the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Andes\" title=\"Andes\"\u003eAndes\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(near\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ovalle,_Chile\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Ovalle, Chile\"\u003eOvalle\u003c\/a\u003e,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Chile\" title=\"Chile\"\u003eChile\u003c\/a\u003e); and to the west of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lake_Baikal\" title=\"Lake Baikal\"\u003eLake Baikal\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ein Siberia, Russia, at the Tultui lazurite deposit. It is mined in smaller amounts in\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Angola\" title=\"Angola\"\u003eAngola\u003c\/a\u003e, Argentina,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Burma\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Burma\"\u003eBurma\u003c\/a\u003e, Pakistan, Canada, Italy, India, and in the United States in\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/California\" title=\"California\"\u003eCalifornia\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eand\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Colorado\" title=\"Colorado\"\u003eColorado\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-CGA_13-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-CGA-13\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e13\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mw-heading mw-heading3\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"Uses_and_substitutes\"\u003eUses and substitutes\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"mw-editsection\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mw-editsection-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Lapis_lazuli\u0026amp;action=edit\u0026amp;section=6\" title=\"Edit section: Uses and substitutes\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eedit\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mw-editsection-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLapis takes an excellent polish and can be made into jewellery, carvings, boxes,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mosaic\" title=\"Mosaic\"\u003emosaics\u003c\/a\u003e, ornaments, small statues, and vases. Interior items and finishing buildings can be also made with lapis. During the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Renaissance\" title=\"Renaissance\"\u003eRenaissance\u003c\/a\u003e, lapis was ground and processed to make the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pigment\" title=\"Pigment\"\u003epigment\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ultramarine\" title=\"Ultramarine\"\u003eultramarine\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003efor use in\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Fresco\" title=\"Fresco\"\u003efrescoes\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eand\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Oil_painting\" title=\"Oil painting\"\u003eoil painting\u003c\/a\u003e. Its usage as a pigment in oil paint largely ended during the early 19th century, when a chemically identical synthetic variety became available.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLapis lazuli is commercially synthesized or simulated by the Gillson process, which is used to make artificial\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ultramarine\" title=\"Ultramarine\"\u003eultramarine\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eand\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hydrate\" title=\"Hydrate\"\u003ehydrous\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Zinc_phosphate\" title=\"Zinc phosphate\"\u003ezinc phosphates\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-21\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-21\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e21\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Spinel\" title=\"Spinel\"\u003eSpinel\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eor\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sodalite\" title=\"Sodalite\"\u003esodalite\u003c\/a\u003e, or dyed\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jasper\" title=\"Jasper\"\u003ejasper\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eor\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Howlite\" title=\"Howlite\"\u003ehowlite\u003c\/a\u003e, can be substituted for lapis.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-22\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-22\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e22\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"gallery mw-gallery-traditional\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"gallerybox\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"thumb\"\u003e\u003cspan typeof=\"mw:File\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Lazurite.jpg\" class=\"mw-file-description\" title=\"Crystals of lazurite (the main mineral in lapis lazuli) from the Sar-i Sang Mining District in Afghanistan\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"Crystals of lazurite (the main mineral in lapis lazuli) from the Sar-i Sang Mining District in Afghanistan\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/7\/77\/Lazurite.jpg\/99px-Lazurite.jpg\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"99\" height=\"120\" class=\"mw-file-element\" srcset=\"\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/7\/77\/Lazurite.jpg\/148px-Lazurite.jpg 1.5x, \/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/7\/77\/Lazurite.jpg\/198px-Lazurite.jpg 2x\" data-file-width=\"4454\" data-file-height=\"5398\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"gallerytext\"\u003eCrystals of lazurite (the main mineral in lapis lazuli) from the Sar-i Sang Mining District in Afghanistan\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"gallery mw-gallery-traditional\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"gallerybox\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"thumb\"\u003e\u003cspan typeof=\"mw:File\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Lapis_lazuli_block.jpg\" class=\"mw-file-description\" title=\"A polished block of lapis lazuli\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"A polished block of lapis lazuli\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/a\/a6\/Lapis_lazuli_block.jpg\/67px-Lapis_lazuli_block.jpg\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"67\" height=\"120\" class=\"mw-file-element\" srcset=\"\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/a\/a6\/Lapis_lazuli_block.jpg\/101px-Lapis_lazuli_block.jpg 1.5x, \/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/a\/a6\/Lapis_lazuli_block.jpg\/135px-Lapis_lazuli_block.jpg 2x\" data-file-width=\"673\" data-file-height=\"1197\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"gallerytext\"\u003eA polished block of lapis lazuli\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"gallery mw-gallery-traditional\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"gallerybox\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"thumb\"\u003e\u003cspan typeof=\"mw:File\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Natural_ultramarine_pigment.jpg\" class=\"mw-file-description\" title=\"Natural ultramarine pigment made from ground lapis lazuli. During the Middle Ages and Renaissance it was the most expensive pigment available (gold being second) and was often reserved for depicting the robes of Angels or the Virgin Mary\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"Natural ultramarine pigment made from ground lapis lazuli. During the Middle Ages and Renaissance it was the most expensive pigment available (gold being second) and was often reserved for depicting the robes of Angels or the Virgin Mary\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/8\/8a\/Natural_ultramarine_pigment.jpg\/120px-Natural_ultramarine_pigment.jpg\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"120\" height=\"100\" class=\"mw-file-element\" srcset=\"\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/8\/8a\/Natural_ultramarine_pigment.jpg\/180px-Natural_ultramarine_pigment.jpg 1.5x, \/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/8\/8a\/Natural_ultramarine_pigment.jpg\/240px-Natural_ultramarine_pigment.jpg 2x\" data-file-width=\"450\" data-file-height=\"375\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"gallerytext\"\u003eNatural ultramarine pigment made from ground lapis lazuli. During the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/High_Middle_Ages\" title=\"High Middle Ages\"\u003eMiddle Ages\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eand\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Renaissance\" title=\"Renaissance\"\u003eRenaissance\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eit was the most expensive pigment available (gold being second) and was often reserved for depicting the robes of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Angels\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Angels\"\u003eAngels\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eor the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Virgin_Mary\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Virgin Mary\"\u003eVirgin Mary\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"gallery mw-gallery-traditional\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"gallerybox\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"thumb\"\u003e\u003cspan typeof=\"mw:File\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:19th_Century_lapis_lazuli_and_diamond_pendant.jpg\" class=\"mw-file-description\" title=\"19th-century lapis lazuli and diamond pendant\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"19th-century lapis lazuli and diamond pendant\" src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/2\/2a\/19th_Century_lapis_lazuli_and_diamond_pendant.jpg\/120px-19th_Century_lapis_lazuli_and_diamond_pendant.jpg\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"120\" height=\"120\" class=\"mw-file-element\" srcset=\"\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/2\/2a\/19th_Century_lapis_lazuli_and_diamond_pendant.jpg\/180px-19th_Century_lapis_lazuli_and_diamond_pendant.jpg 1.5x, \/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/2\/2a\/19th_Century_lapis_lazuli_and_diamond_pendant.jpg\/240px-19th_Century_lapis_lazuli_and_diamond_pendant.jpg 2x\" data-file-width=\"2482\" data-file-height=\"2482\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"gallerytext\"\u003e19th-century lapis lazuli and diamond pendant\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mw-heading mw-heading2\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"History_and_art\"\u003eHistory and art\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"mw-editsection\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mw-editsection-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Lapis_lazuli\u0026amp;action=edit\u0026amp;section=7\" title=\"Edit section: History and art\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eedit\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mw-editsection-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"mw-heading mw-heading3\"\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"In_the_ancient_world\"\u003eIn the ancient world\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"mw-editsection\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mw-editsection-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=Lapis_lazuli\u0026amp;action=edit\u0026amp;section=8\" title=\"Edit section: In the ancient world\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eedit\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan class=\"mw-editsection-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv role=\"note\" class=\"hatnote navigation-not-searchable\"\u003eFurther information:\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Art_of_ancient_Egypt#Lapis_lazuli\" title=\"Art of ancient Egypt\"\u003eArt of ancient Egypt § Lapis lazuli\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cfigure class=\"mw-default-size\" typeof=\"mw:File\/Thumb\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Cult_Image_of_the_God_Ptah_MET_DP142956.jpg\" class=\"mw-file-description\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/3\/35\/Cult_Image_of_the_God_Ptah_MET_DP142956.jpg\/170px-Cult_Image_of_the_God_Ptah_MET_DP142956.jpg\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"170\" height=\"227\" class=\"mw-file-element\" srcset=\"\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/3\/35\/Cult_Image_of_the_God_Ptah_MET_DP142956.jpg\/255px-Cult_Image_of_the_God_Ptah_MET_DP142956.jpg 1.5x, \/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/3\/35\/Cult_Image_of_the_God_Ptah_MET_DP142956.jpg\/340px-Cult_Image_of_the_God_Ptah_MET_DP142956.jpg 2x\" data-file-width=\"2881\" data-file-height=\"3842\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003cfigcaption\u003eAncient Egyptian cult image of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ptah\" title=\"Ptah\"\u003ePtah\u003c\/a\u003e; 945–600 BC; lapis lazuli; height of the figure: 5.2 cm, height of the dais: 0.4 cm;\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Metropolitan_Museum_of_Art\" title=\"Metropolitan Museum of Art\"\u003eMetropolitan Museum of Art\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(New York City)\u003c\/figcaption\u003e\n\u003c\/figure\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLapis lazuli has been mined in Afghanistan and exported to the Mediterranean world and South Asia since the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Neolithic\" title=\"Neolithic\"\u003eNeolithic\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eage,\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-Moorey_1999_86–87_23-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-Moorey_1999_86%E2%80%9387-23\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e23\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-24\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-24\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e24\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ealong the ancient trade route between Afghanistan and the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Indus_Valley\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Indus Valley\"\u003eIndus Valley\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003edating to the 7th millennium BC. Quantities of these beads have also been found at 4th millennium BC settlements in Northern\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mesopotamia\" title=\"Mesopotamia\"\u003eMesopotamia\u003c\/a\u003e, and at the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bronze_Age\" title=\"Bronze Age\"\u003eBronze Age\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003esite of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Shahr-e_Sukhteh\" title=\"Shahr-e Sukhteh\"\u003eShahr-e Sukhteh\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ein southeast Iran (3rd millennium BC). A dagger with a lapis handle, a bowl inlaid with lapis, amulets, beads, and inlays representing eyebrows and beards, were found in the Royal Tombs of the Sumerian city-state of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ur\" title=\"Ur\"\u003eUr\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003efrom the 3rd millennium BC.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-Moorey_1999_86–87_23-1\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-Moorey_1999_86%E2%80%9387-23\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e23\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLapis was also used in ancient Persia, Mesopotamia by the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Akkadians\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Akkadians\"\u003eAkkadians\u003c\/a\u003e,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Assyria\" title=\"Assyria\"\u003eAssyrians\u003c\/a\u003e, and\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Babylonians\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Babylonians\"\u003eBabylonians\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003efor\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cylinder_seal\" title=\"Cylinder seal\"\u003eseals\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eand jewelry. It is mentioned several times in the Mesopotamian poem, the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Epic_of_Gilgamesh\" title=\"Epic of Gilgamesh\"\u003eEpic of Gilgamesh\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(17th–18th century BC), one of the oldest known works of literature. The\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Statue_of_Ebih-Il\" title=\"Statue of Ebih-Il\"\u003eStatue of Ebih-Il\u003c\/a\u003e, a 3rd millennium BC statue found in the ancient city-state of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mari,_Syria\" title=\"Mari, Syria\"\u003eMari\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ein modern-day\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Syria\" title=\"Syria\"\u003eSyria\u003c\/a\u003e, now in the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Louvre\" title=\"Louvre\"\u003eLouvre\u003c\/a\u003e, uses lapis lazuli inlays for the irises of the eyes.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-louvre_25-0\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-louvre-25\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e25\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn ancient Egypt, lapis lazuli was a favorite stone for amulets and ornaments such as\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Scarab_(artifact)\" title=\"Scarab (artifact)\"\u003escarabs\u003c\/a\u003e. Lapis jewellery has been found at excavations of the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Predynastic_Egypt\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Predynastic Egypt\"\u003ePredynastic Egyptian\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003esite\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Naqada\" title=\"Naqada\"\u003eNaqada\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(3300–3100 BC). At\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Karnak\" title=\"Karnak\"\u003eKarnak\u003c\/a\u003e, the relief carvings of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Thutmose_III\" title=\"Thutmose III\"\u003eThutmose III\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(1479–1429 BC) show fragments and barrel-shaped pieces of lapis lazuli being delivered to him as tribute. Powdered lapis was used as eyeshadow by\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cleopatra\" title=\"Cleopatra\"\u003eCleopatra\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-bc1995_7-2\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-bc1995-7\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e7\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-26\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-26\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e26\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJewelry made of lapis lazuli has also been found at\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mycenae\" title=\"Mycenae\"\u003eMycenae\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eattesting to relations between the Myceneans and the developed civilizations of Egypt and the East.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-27\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-27\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e27\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pliny_the_Elder\" title=\"Pliny the Elder\"\u003ePliny the Elder\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ewrote that lapis lazuli is \"opaque and sprinkled with specks of gold\".\u003csup class=\"noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact\"\u003e[\u003ci\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:Citation_needed\" title=\"Wikipedia:Citation needed\"\u003e\u003cspan title=\"This claim needs references to reliable sources. (September 2024)\"\u003ecitation needed\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e]\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eBecause the stone combines the blue of the heavens and golden glitter of the sun, it was emblematic of success in the old Jewish tradition.\u003csup class=\"noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact\"\u003e[\u003ci\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:Citation_needed\" title=\"Wikipedia:Citation needed\"\u003e\u003cspan title=\"This claim needs references to reliable sources. (September 2024)\"\u003ecitation needed\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e]\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eIn the early Christian tradition lapis lazuli was regarded as the stone of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mary,_mother_of_Jesus\" title=\"Mary, mother of Jesus\"\u003eVirgin Mary\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003csup class=\"noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact\"\u003e[\u003ci\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wikipedia:Citation_needed\" title=\"Wikipedia:Citation needed\"\u003e\u003cspan title=\"This claim needs references to reliable sources. (September 2024)\"\u003ecitation needed\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e]\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn late classical times and as late as the Middle Ages, lapis lazuli was often called\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sapphire\" title=\"Sapphire\"\u003esapphire\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(\u003ci\u003esapphirus\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ein Latin,\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003esappir\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ein Hebrew),\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-28\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-28\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e28\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ethough it had little to do with the stone today known as the blue\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Corundum\" title=\"Corundum\"\u003ecorundum\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003evariety sapphire. In his book on stones, the Greek scientist\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Theophrastus\" title=\"Theophrastus\"\u003eTheophrastus\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003edescribed \"the sapphirus, which is speckled with gold,\" a description which matches lapis lazuli.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-29\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-29\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e29\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cfigure class=\"mw-default-size\" typeof=\"mw:File\/Thumb\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/File:Meisje_met_de_parel.jpg\" class=\"mw-file-description\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/d\/d7\/Meisje_met_de_parel.jpg\/220px-Meisje_met_de_parel.jpg\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"220\" height=\"258\" class=\"mw-file-element\" srcset=\"\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/d\/d7\/Meisje_met_de_parel.jpg\/330px-Meisje_met_de_parel.jpg 1.5x, \/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/thumb\/d\/d7\/Meisje_met_de_parel.jpg\/440px-Meisje_met_de_parel.jpg 2x\" data-file-width=\"4095\" data-file-height=\"4794\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003cfigcaption\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Girl_with_a_Pearl_Earring\" title=\"Girl with a Pearl Earring\"\u003eGirl with a Pearl Earring\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eby\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Vermeer\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Vermeer\"\u003eVermeer\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/figcaption\u003e\n\u003c\/figure\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere are many references to \"sapphire\" in the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Old_Testament\" title=\"Old Testament\"\u003eOld Testament\u003c\/a\u003e, but most scholars agree that, since sapphire was not known before the Roman Empire, they most likely are references to lapis lazuli. For instance, Exodus 24:10: \"And they saw the God of Israel, and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone...\" (KJV). The words used in the Latin Vulgate Bible in this citation are \"quasi opus lapidis sapphirini\", the terms for lapis lazuli.\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-30\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-30\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e30\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eModern translations of the Bible, such as the New Living Translation Second Edition,\u003csup id=\"cite_ref-31\" class=\"reference\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Lapis_lazuli#cite_note-31\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e[\u003c\/span\u003e31\u003cspan class=\"cite-bracket\"\u003e]\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/sup\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003erefer to lapis lazuli in most instances instead of sapphire.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bead It!","offers":[{"title":"Rice 3x7mm","offer_id":32117443231847,"sku":"4279","price":22.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"3mm Rnd","offer_id":50162635211057,"sku":"4280","price":21.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"8mm Rnd","offer_id":50162635276593,"sku":"4281","price":16.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/bead-it-hawaii.myshopify.com\/products\/sps2424lapi-1","provider":"Bead It!","version":"1.0","type":"link"}