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Lapis Lazuli - decorative, medicinal and sexy
Posted on Monday, August 13, 2007 (CDT) by Thoth
 The deep blue beauty of this gemstone has attracted attention for at least 6,500 years when it probably was first mined in what is today’s Afghanistan. It has been admired not just for its decorative qualities but also for a whole range of other possibilities.
Istanbul's Grand Bazaar is full of the most fascinating discoveries. By now most people realize that but perhaps are a little intimidated by its enormous size. So don't go with the idea of actually buying; browse and undoubtedly you'll find something you've always wanted or needed or at the very least you will find a gift for a friend.
As you walk by some of the jewelry shops and glance at the display in the windows, you may notice a deep blue item like a ring or necklace or earrings. Since time immemorial, colors have fascinated people and the brighter the better.
Blue has
occupied a special place in the minds of humans, perhaps because it is
rarely found in a natural state. That's what makes the gemstone known
as lapis lazuli so precious and eye catching.
During the latter half of
the 20th century it was relatively easy to find in the Grand Bazaar
(Kapaliçarşi) but then the source dried up somewhat. The Russian
invasion of Afghanistan ended the trade although stones were still
brought by people coming from Afghanistan who would try to sell them
for cash. Today, lapis lazuli pendants, beads as tesbihs (prayer beads)
or necklaces and rings can still be found but there are a lot fewer
today than there used to be in the bazaar. A World Bank briefing report
(March 2004) notes that one mine producing lapis lazuli was still
operating in the Badakhshan province of northeastern Afghanistan at the
time. The gemstones however were going to local officials. This may be
the same or one of the mines that produced lapis lazuli for at least
the last 6,500 years.
Oldest gemstone traded
One author has described
lapis as having come straight out of the Arabian Nights. But going back
even further, it was found in numerous archaeological excavations amid
grave furnishings even in prehistoric burial sites in the form of
beads. There might also be necklaces or figurines. It was especially
popular in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Persia, Greece and Rome while the city
of Ur near today's Baghdad is thought to have traded in the
semiprecious gemstone more than 6,000 years ago.
One of the earliest and
most decorative uses is found in ancient Egyptian jewelry. The death
mask and other jeweled items found in the tomb of the Pharaoh
Tutankhamun have pieces of lapis lazuli in them that stand out among
the gold. We know from other archaeological finds that lapis was quite
common. But it may be that its very scarceness and the need to
transport it from Afghanistan may have made it even more valuable than
a gemstone normally would have been.
Lapis lazuli's color is
often referred to as royal blue and is associated with royalty.
Frequently it is seen in rings, necklaces of beads or in pendants. Or
as background in such wooden items as the famous Royal Standard of Ur
that has been dated to 2600 B.C. (Ur was located south of today's
Baghdad.) It is composed of an inlaid shell, red limestone and lapis
lazuli and represents a battle scene on one side and a banquet on the
other. Under the Assyrians and Babylonians, the stone was used for
seals, while the Egyptians created amulets and scarabs out of it.
Lapis lazuli has not only
been considered royal, it was thought to have also had occult powers.
We see it used in religious ceremonies such as any conducted from the
Egyptian Book of the Dead and as a holy stone with magical powers. The
stone was part of the pantheon of minerals that was thought to cure
fevers and get rid of depression and melancholy. Milk was mixed with
the lapis lazuli for medicinal purposes and applied to boils and
ulcers. Lapis lazuli was also used for insomnia, vision and hearing
problems and disorders of the throat, lungs and immune system. It is
intriguing to think that it was one of the earliest kinds of makeup and
even Cleopatra is known to have used powdered lapis lazuli for eye
shadow. The Romans believed it to be a powerful aphrodisiac but then
they considered many other things such as herbs and fruits to be
helpful in sexual matters.
Painting is another area in
which this stone proved useful. It was ground up and mixed with oil to
produce ultramarine, a deep blue-green pigment found in oil paintings
of the old masters for example. As a color, it still retains its
brightness today.
Last but perhaps most
importantly lapis lazuli was seen as the stone of truth and friendship
that would help a friend speak his or her opinion openly. It also
purportedly helped one to be more aware, insightful and improved one's
intellect.
What is lapis lazuli?
Lapis is Latin for stone
and lazuli derives from a Medieval Latin word meaning blue but the
latter originally comes from Arabic and before that Persian lazhuward
or lazhward, the Persian word for blue and its place of origin,
Turkestan. What we know as lapis lazuli was also known as sapphirus but
today's sapphire is actually a different stone.
What is lapis lazuli? It's
a stone made up of calcite and a number of other minerals. It may have
white specks in it or pyrite spots that glitter like gold. It usually
occurs in crystalline limestone millions of years old when limestone
was turning into marble. Unfortunately it can be scratched or chipped
since it has a hardness rating of only 5.0-5.5 with diamonds the
hardest at 10 on the Moh's scale. It can be dyed to make its color
better and imitations are fairly quickly recognizable because they lack
specks.
Either the stone was mined
by hand or after the introduction of dynamite, blasted out. The chunks
of blue rock were then and still are taken out of the mountains, worked
and sold. The quality of the Afghan lapis lazuli is unsurpassed,
although other sources have been discovered in Russia, Chile, Italy,
Mongolia, the U.S., Canada, Myanmar and Pakistan. But it is difficult
to find any that match the quality of the Afghan pieces.
The original stone before
polishing has a matt surface that is polished. Because it is not a very
hard stone, it has to be handled with somewhat more care than other
stones. Acidic liquids should be kept away from it. If necessary, it
can be re-polished if becomes matt again through wear.
Its price can range from
the very luxurious to the inexpensive. This depends on the depth of the
blue tone. It can be even more expensive if gold pyrite flakes are
scattered throughout the stone.
To be put in box:
Two Chinamen, behind them a third,
Are carved in Lapis Lazuli,
Over them flies a long-legged bird,
A symbol of longevity;
The third, doubtless a serving-man,
Carries a musical instrument.
Every discoloration of the stone,
Every accidental crack or dent,
Seems a water-course or an avalanche,
Or lofty slope where it still snows
Though doubtless plum or cherry-branch
Sweetens the little half-way house
Those Chinamen climb towards, and I
Delight to imagine them seated there;
There, on the mountain and the sky,
On all the tragic scene they star.
One asks for mournful melodies;
Accomplished fingers begin to play.
Their eyes mid many wrinkles, their eyes,
Their ancient, glittering eyes, are gay.
--Excerpt from William Butler Yeats, Lapis Lazuli
Copyright: Turkish Daily News
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Re: Lapis Lazuli - decorative, medicinal and sexy
by BrotherGee on Monday, August 13, 2007 (CDT)
(User Info | Send a Message | Journal) | This is what the Anunnaki were mining. This "blue stone" has special properties that only the initiated are aware of. Remember, all stones are a form of crystal.
The "mining gold for their atmosphere" canard is a red herring. |
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Re: Lapis Lazuli - decorative, medicinal and sexy
by JudyLou on Tuesday, August 14, 2007 (CDT)
(User Info | Send a Message) | Hi SHLM BrotherGee
Interesting the Crystal mentioned on the breastplate that Moses had to make for Aaron – for the High Priest – to where had 4 rows of 3 gemstones. The Lapis Lazuli was one of them.
It is believed to have special energy of healing, love, power and protection.
BRK
Lourens |
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