Lapis lazuli. Lapis lazuli - magical properties of the sky stone Lapis lazuli Wiki

Lapis lazuli, or in other words, lapis lazuli, is an ornamental stone of amazing color. It has been compared to the southern sky at dusk. It is essentially a rock that is a mixture of blue hauine, white calcite and yellow pyrite. It may also contain diopside and mica in small quantities.

Story

Lapis lazuli got its name from its color; lapis literally means stone. That is why it was previously called nothing more than “heavenly”. In addition, many peoples attributed mystical properties to it. Thus, the Hindus believed that with the help of lapis lazuli they could cleanse the aura and get rid of anxiety.

Not the least place was occupied by lapis lazuli in the beliefs of Europeans. They believed that a person who had jewelry with this stone could quickly achieve his goals and make all his dreams come true.

In the fifth - first centuries BC it was called sapphire. Its modern name appeared much later, already in the eighteenth century. At this time, this stone was widespread in Mesopotamia, ancient Egypt, Asian countries, Rome and Greece, where various jewelry, amulets, and figurines were carved from it.

It was also known in ancient Rus', as evidenced by the magnificent vases and tabletops made of lapis lazuli, which are kept in the Hermitage and date back to the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It was especially common in ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, where for its dark, rich blue color it was considered the stone of the sky and was sacred. It was woven into clothing, made into jewelry for clergy and kings, and also decorated with some interior details.

The name of the stone contains two words: Arabic and Persian. From Arabic "azul" means blue, and from Persian "lazurite" means blue. The second name of the stone “lapis lazuli” from Latin is azure stone.

Production

The most ancient place for the extraction of lapis lazuli is the Badakhshan deposit in Afghanistan. About six thousand years ago this beautiful stone began to be mined there and from there it began to spread throughout Asia and to Egypt, and from there it was exported to all other countries. To this day, the stones mined in this deposit are considered the purest and of the highest quality; in addition, these stones are found inclusions of golden pyrite, which makes it very beautiful and similar to the evening sky.

Archaeologists have found a lot of evidence that it was Badakhshan lapis lazuli that was worn by the pharaohs, and for a long time it was the only deposit of lapis lazuli on the planet.

The ground gemstone was used to make ultramarine paint, which was very often used when painting icons. This paint lasted a very long time and did not fade in the sun. Later lapis lazuli was replaced by other dyes. There are rumors that a kilogram of lapis lazuli from the Badakhshan deposit costs more than a thousand dollars.

At the end of the eighteenth century, lapis lazuli began to be mined near Lake Baikal, although there is documented evidence that it was found there already in the sixteenth century. Perhaps the reason why this deposit has not been developed for so long is the priority given to fishing and forestry in these parts. And only when the relevance of these areas decreased somewhat did they begin to develop the mining of Baikal lapis lazuli. But the quality and price of stone from these places is not too high, since it contains large layers of calcite, which is white.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, a new deposit appeared in Tajikistan, but for a very long time it was protected by local residents, who considered this place sacred and protected it from destruction. They thought it could anger higher powers and offend the gods. This lapis lazuli is also of high quality and is prized throughout the world.

In addition to the above deposits, lapis lazuli is mined in the USA, Chile, Canada and Myanmar. But local azurite has too many impurities, which significantly affects the quality and price.

For processing lapis lazuli I use a circular saw made from diamond chips, cut off the required pieces and then cool in soapy water, oil or kerosene. Next, they are placed in carborundum abrasive wheels for roughing, then faceted, cooled with water and final polished.

Properties of the stone

Lapis lazuli has the following characteristics.

Magic properties

The Sumerians considered lapis lazuli a sacred stone, and they said that whoever takes lapis lazuli with him takes god with him.

Also, lapis lazuli is considered a symbol of friendship; lapis lazuli jewelry was often presented as gifts during diplomatic missions to show their affection and express a desire to improve relationships.

Yogis use it to cleanse their aura of negativity; to do this, it is applied to the area of ​​the third eye, that is, between the eyebrows, and then the yogi meditates with the stone for some time until he feels that the aura has been healed.

Astrologers say that lapis lazuli is the stone of Venus and Uranus and is necessary for every zodiac sign.

Medicinal properties

It is believed that lapis lazuli is an all-encompassing stone. It improves vision, equalizes blood pressure, eliminates bad dreams, calms a person, helps with pain during menstruation, reduces the possibility of miscarriage and eliminates toxicosis, and is useful for inflammation of the female organs.

When ground together with diluted acetic acid, it accelerates hair growth and promotes the healing of gastrointestinal wounds. Grated lapis lazuli mixed with honey and pomegranate leaves treats skin diseases, and taken in homeopathic doses eliminates minor wounds and bruises.

Lithotherapists use lapis lazuli beads to treat epilepsy.

Among Indians, lapis lazuli is considered a stone that can cure mental and mental disorders.

Lapis lazuli jewelry

The stone is used to decorate boxes, vases, and amulets.

In ancient times, it was as valuable as gold and therefore in the tombs of the pharaohs it was set in this precious metal; nowadays gold is not used for setting, but silver is used. Silver rings with lapis lazuli stones are worn by both women and men.

Besides this they do beads, pendants, earrings, bracelets.

Sometimes lapis lazuli is adjacent to materials such as turquoise, coral, pearls, carnelian, this gives a unique juxtaposition and looks very harmonious, but most often the stone is alone in the decoration.

Jewelry made from lapis lazuli is very expensive, for example, a ring with real blue lapis lazuli costs at least fifteen thousand rubles, and beads can reach a cost of thirty-five thousand rubles.

Artificial lapis lazuli

For the first time, this stone began to be counterfeited in ancient Egypt, then glass and glaze were used for this.

Very often, jasper is painted blue and passed off as lapis lazuli. Sometimes other methods are used.

There are several ways to spot a fake.

• Wet the stone, if the entire surface is wet evenly, then the stone is real, but if it collects in drops, then it is probably fake.
• Lapis lazuli is very heat resistant. In ancient times, it was placed in a fire for ten days, and if after this time no changes occurred in the structure and color of the stone, then it was considered real.
• Lapis lazuli gives maximum play of light and reveals its beauty only in natural bright lighting; a counterfeit stone can shine even in artificial lighting.
• The most reliable way is laboratory analysis and density testing.

Information about artificial lapis lazuli

Ultramarine mineral

English name: Ultramarine

Lapis lazuli stone is called ultramarine. It received its name due to its color and location of deposits. Its name comes from a phrase translated from Latin as “brought from overseas.”

History of the stone

The name lapis lazuli appeared in the Middle Ages, but only pure, dense and uniform dark blue varieties of the mineral began to be called modern lapis lazuli in the 18th century. As for the discovery of ultramarine, it was used as a coloring substance, due to which a new ultramarine (blue) color appeared in Renaissance painting. Processing lapis lazuli at that time was a complex process, and the deposits of the mineral were insignificant, so ultramarine was a very expensive pleasure.

What does the mineral look like?

Lapis lazuli crystals are a very rare find. They take the form of an octahedron or rhombic dodecahedron. Most often it can be found among marble in the form of small or large veins. Natural ultramarine or lapis lazuli turns bright blue when pierced. Today, there are technologies for creating synthetic ultramarine by combining elements such as kaolin, dioxide, silicon, sulfur, soda, coke and bitumen. The most commonly used is ultramarine powder, which is blue in color and resistant to heat and temperature changes. Lapis lazuli crystals are harmless to humans.

Stone deposits

The mineral is not easy to extract due to its rarity, but today some deposits are known in Afghanistan, Russia (Baikal region), Argentina, USA, Tajikistan, Chile and Myanmar. Afghan copies are considered the most ancient. Deposits of lapis lazuli in Badakhshan are found in the tombs of the pharaohs and during excavations of Troy.

Features of processing and use

Ultramarine or lapis lazuli is one of the valuable decorative crystals. According to some classifications, it is classified as an ornamental or semi-precious stone. Ultramarine is used as a pigment for composite materials. It is used in painting and decoration, for bluing. Removing yellowness from materials using ultramarine is one of the methods that is used in industry in the manufacture of paper, plastic, textiles, ceramics, sugar and the like. Lapis lazuli is often used to produce semi-precious interior items: boxes, figurines, stands, and more.

Properties of the mineral

• Chemical formula:(Na,Ca)86(SO4,Cl,S)2
• Additionally:= synthetic lapis lazuli

) is a symbol of divine favor. Impervious to sunlight, lapis lazuli stone amazes with its blue and noble shades: blue, green and gray.

Mining of the mineral began for the first time in the Pamirs more than 7 thousand years ago. At first, gems were used for cladding palaces, only later they began to make crafts and jewelry. Archaeologists have found jewelry made from gemstones in Egyptian pyramids.

In Europe, wealthy people decorated the interiors of their homes with objects made from the mineral. Artists ground the stone into powder, mixed it with oil and obtained a rich ultramarine color.

In Rus' they gave it its name - azure stone, or azure stone. It can be found in the decoration of the Winter Palace, St. Isaac's Cathedral and the palaces of Peterhof.

Appearance and physical properties

Externally, the gem is like a reflection of the starry sky: the surface is a rich blue color with golden inclusions of iron sulfide, like stars. No wonder he always enjoyed the respect of jewelers, priests and astrologers.

Let's consider the physical characteristics of the mineral.

The lapis lazuli stone is distinguished by its blue color scheme: azure-blue, greenish-blue, blue-gray.

Minerals with special colors have additional names:

• deep blue – indigo, or niili;
• blue light colors - asmani;
• just blue - sufsi;
• dark blue – lapis lazuli.

The gem is opaque, fragile in structure, hardness is only 5.5 on the Mohs scale, density on average is 2.4 g/cm3. Lapis lazuli has incorporated oxides of sodium, calcium, aluminum, sulfur, silicon and chlorine into its chemical composition. Hence the long chemical formula of the gem – Na6Ca2(AlSiO4)6(SO4, S, Cl)2.

The composition of the mineral is aluminosilicate with the addition of sulfur; even some of the silicon atoms are replaced by sulfur. Interestingly, the more sulfur anions, the richer the blue color.

Hydrochloric acid destroys the crystal, and with strong heating it becomes darker in color.

Gem deposits

The mineral was formed as a result of the interaction of magma and sedimentary rock. There are deposits of lapis lazuli in many parts of the world. Lapis lazuli is mined in Afghanistan, where the oldest Badakhshan mine is located, Argentina, the USA, Tajikistan, and Chile. In Russia, a deposit has been developed in the Southern Baikal region.

The Afghan gem was found at the excavations of Troy and in the Egyptian pyramids. Samples from the Baikal region are of the same high quality as those from Afghanistan. In Tajikistan, light-colored crystals are mined; they cost less than others. In Russia, the gem began to be mined only in the middle of the 19th century.

The reader may have a question: is lapis lazuli a gemstone or not? In fact, this is a semi-precious stone, it belongs to the section of first-order ornamental stones. This section includes: jade, rock crystal, and others. Lapis lazuli is often used to make custom-made jewelry based on individual sketches; such products are highly valued by collectors.

Types of mineral

Varieties of lapis lazuli are classified only by their color. Blue lapis lazuli is not the only representative of the gem. Scientists have confirmed that specimens of light turquoise and even dark purple color according to the chemical formula are lapis lazuli. The most valuable minerals on the market are indigo and dark blue minerals. The presence of gold or silver inclusions only increases their value.

The value of these rocks depends on the color saturation:

• Niili - refers to the highest grade, bright blue, indigo, often with a purple tint and unusual transitions between shades. The most expensive variety.
• Asmani, the colors of the sky, a paler shade of blue, cyan.
• Sufsi, a regular blue with a greenish tint, is the cheapest variety.

The color of lapis lazuli depends on the ratio of all its components.

Description stone in appearance it is divided into three groups:

1. Homogeneous without impurities.
2. Spotted with numerous veins.
3. Spotted with stripes.

Spotted specimens with stripes are widely used for ornamental work. But samples of the highest grade lapis lazuli are used exclusively for the manufacture of unique jewelry and luxury items.

Uncut lapis lazuli is also used in the manufacture of unique jewelry. Healers and magicians prefer to work with it, since its natural properties are not distorted by finishing.

How to properly care

When purchasing lapis jewelry, you need to remember that the mineral is insufficiently hard. Therefore, it must be protected from falling and any mechanical influences.

Interaction with household chemicals and cosmetics is undesirable.

Do not expose to prolonged exposure to sunlight.

The blue of a gem changes its shades with temperature changes; you should not subject the crystal to such tests.

The ancients considered the azure stone a symbol of prosperity and success, love and sincerity. They were sure that it helps a person talk to God. The azure stone will relieve tension, relieve depression and bring peace and tranquility to the home.

Lapis lazuli stone- This is a beautiful, ornamental mineral, with rich colors and history. Lapis lazuli was used in crafts and jewelry, combined with other minerals and precious metals.

Jewelry made from lapis lazuli will not only make you stand out from the crowd, but will also help cure many ailments and magically change your life for the better. This is such an unusual mineral.

History of the stone

The name of the stone itself consists of two words from Arabic and Persian. So, translated from Arabic “azul” means heavenly blue, but the Persians translated “lazurite” as blue. But from Latin the very name of the stone lapis lazuli means azure stone.

Lapis lazuli was first mentioned in the text of the inventory of the Badakhshan mines from the territory of Afghanistan - the deposits have a history of 7,000 years and this place is considered the main supplier of the mineral to the royal palaces.

The ancient Egyptians valued lapis lazuli, equating its price to gold. It was used to decorate the tombs of the pharaohs, using it in jewelry and creating works of art. So, in painting they often take ultramarine-colored mineral, using it in crushed form in paints - the paint does not fade in the sun, allowing you to preserve all the beauty of a true masterpiece for a long time.

During the Renaissance, the mineral was valued throughout Europe - jewelry and home decoration, amulets and magical items.

But on the territory of Russia, the mineral has been developed and mined since 851 - many rooms, columns of St. Isaac's Cathedral, vases of the Winter Palace were decorated with it. And it was from that time that this mineral gained its popularity on the territory of the Russian Empire, becoming the property of the nobility and wealthy merchants.

Types and colors of lapis lazuli

Lapis lazuli is presented in nature in a fairly wide range of shades - its colors vary from the most delicate turquoise to rich blue, even purple.

If you look at lapis lazuli with the naked eye, it may appear entirely blue; in some specimens there are also specimens with small white, golden, and blue veins.

The most expensive mineral is a uniform color, without inclusions or veins, with an intense blue or violet hue.

Experts distinguish the following types of lapis lazuli:

• neither- an indigo-blue mineral, considered the most expensive and valuable.
• Asmani- a mineral of lower cost and value, with a sky-bluish color.
• fursi- a greenish-blue mineral, the most accessible and inexpensive. You can read about different ones here.

In addition, experts distinguish the following types of lapis lazuli, taking into account its color and structure:

• Homogeneous mineral– has a uniform, blue or purple color, without inclusions or impurities, and it is considered the most expensive in jewelry. It is this type of mineral that is used in jewelry inlay - necklaces and rings, earrings and bracelets.
• Spotted mineral– has a bright color, a heterogeneous structure and some inclusions of foreign impurities. Most often it is used to make decorative items - vases, boxes or figurines, amulets.
• Vein-spotted mineral– has wavy or straight veins and uneven coloring. In terms of its cost, it is inexpensive and it is most often used for finishing walls, decorating external or internal elements of room decor.

The color of lapis lazuli is influenced by its deposit - if it is an Afghan deposit, then the lapis lazuli contains golden inclusions of a compound such as pyrite. The mineral from Lake Baikal is marked in all sorts of shades of blue with whitish stripes and spots intertwined in a pattern.

The color scheme and shade of lapis lazuli also depends on the percentage of sulfur content in it - in bright sunshine, lapis lazuli will sparkle and sparkle, in electric lighting it becomes dull and dark. But in ultraviolet light, lapis lazuli will glow with a weak, dim orange light.

Place of Birth

The richest deposits of lapis lazuli are located on the territory of Afghanistan– it is in Badakhshan that the most expensive mineral is mined. In addition to Afghanistan, lapis lazuli is also mined in the Baikal region, China and Chile, India and on the African continent.

But the highest quality, and therefore the most expensive, are precisely those minerals that are mined in the mines of Afghanistan.

Physical properties of lapis lazuli

Lapis lazuli– a mineral whose beneficial properties have been known for a long time, classified as silicates. The color of the mineral varies from light blue to deep blue, almost violet. Its level of sulfur content determines it; the luster of the mineral is glassy, ​​with some fat content.

It can be either transparent or opaque in its structure, its hardness level is 5.5, which indicates its great fragility, and its density is low.

It is the low density and fragility of the mineral that makes caring for it quite problematic, but it is quite simple for jewelers to work with it - it can be easily cut and polished, which allows them to create true masterpieces and works of art from it.

The healing properties of lapis lazuli

Healing properties of the stone:

• Lapis lazuli in its medicinal properties is marked by high positive energy– any action with this mineral, medicinal or magical, should be practiced only with love and pure thoughts and wisdom. Lapis lazuli exhibits beneficial properties in any form and jewelry. Among other things, ancient healers believed that any jewelry made of lapis lazuli helps to overcome stress and cope with nervous strain. It was recommended to be worn by pregnant women so that pregnancy would proceed without problems or toxicosis.
• If you wear lapis lazuli on your hands in the form of rings and bracelets– the mineral can improve blood flow, remove melancholic attacks and normalize sleep. In case of attacks of pain in a particular organ or part of the body, it is enough to apply it to it and thereby stop it.
• Lapis lazuli stimulates the thyroid gland and increases the body's defenses, giving a boost of energy and helping to overcome asthma and radiculitis, improve diction and improve vision. The ancient Aesculapians used powdered lapis lazuli mixed with pomegranate leaf juice and honey to treat eczema and ulcers.
• The mineral also helps normalize blood pressure, body temperature, relieve inflammation, which is especially important for hypotensive and hypertensive patients, everyone who is susceptible to frequent colds and acute respiratory viral infections. Lapis lazuli helps strengthen the immune system and activate the body's internal reserves.

Magical properties of lapis lazuli

Lapis lazuli is a powerful talisman and amulet, with powerful energy, but it will help only sincere and kind people.

Lapis lazuli has the following magical properties:

• It will help you turn your life in a better direction. and will help develop inner gifts, discover new abilities and interests, strengthen true friendships and love relationships, and turn away insincere people. If you wear rings with lapis lazuli, they will help open the flows of energy that connect you with the spiritual world.
• Lapis lazuli is great for meditation– it increases not only intuition, but also opens the chakras, brings insight to a person and helps to find the answer to the most important, trembling question. A lapis lazuli pendulum has such properties that it helps to get rid of obsessive thoughts and painful, difficult memories - just hold it in the third eye area and meditate for a few minutes.
• The energy of this amazing mineral is very friendly to humans.– that is why practicing white magicians use it in their work, helping everyone who suffers find answers to the most important questions and resolve the situation. But due to the fact that lapis lazuli is a very strong mineral in its energy, it should be used in ritual with great caution. In such matters, it is recommended to turn to practicing magicians and knowledgeable, experienced lithotherapists.
• Lapis lazuli helps to attract or return and maintain fidelity of feelings for many years, love, strengthening the family and helping to sort out feelings. That is why psychologists and psychics are recommended to use it in their work - it helps to activate inner vision and help sort out all the problems and questions that people come to them with.

Products made of lapis lazuli

Lapis lazuli is used today very actively in jewelry - rings and necklaces, rosaries and rings, rosaries. Lapis lazuli is best worn inlaid with silver. A natural mineral must always have a quality certificate.

Caring for lapis lazuli

The structure of lapis lazuli is soft and very fragile, and therefore requires proper care:

• The mineral simply does not tolerate water - eliminate all water treatments with it. A mineral inlaid with gold or silver should be stored in a velvet or corduroy bag, separately, but not together with other jewelry.
• Many minerals do not tolerate sunlight and rays, but unlike them, lapis lazuli, on the contrary, is imbued with energy, strength and brightness from the sun.
• A product with lapis lazuli should not be treated with detergents or aggressive cleaning agents - the maximum is to wipe it with a damp soft flannel and that’s it.
• You should not let anyone who is up to no good, who is dark in their energy and who does not appeal to you at all wear lapis lazuli - the stone will bring bad luck to such people.

Cost of lapis lazuli

On average, 1 gram of mineral costs about 2 dollars– we are talking about untreated stone. If we talk about the cost of the finished product, its cost is also affected by the quality of the mineral, its cut and the metal in which it is inlaid.

Also of no small importance is the shade of lapis lazuli and the place where it was mined - those mined in the mines of Afghanistan are considered the most expensive.

Who is lapis lazuli suitable for?

Among practicing magicians and astrologers, lapis lazuli is considered the most powerful and powerful white amulet, endowing its owner with light energy and strength.

If we talk about who would suit an amulet with lapis lazuli, then there are:

• psychologists and doctors;
• diplomats and librarians.

The blue mineral will not only strengthen intuition, developing inner vision, but will also help develop many talents and reveal self-awareness for everything new. It will also help you achieve success in your chosen profession and all your studies, bright endeavors and goals.

Lapis lazuli helps its owner maintain peace of mind and inner peace - it is for this reason that it is recommended to be worn by all public people who, due to work, often come into contact with a large number of people, for example, politicians. But artists and athletes, anyone whose professional activity is related to dynamics, are not recommended to wear it - the mineral will absorb it, making a person lethargic and immobile.

The talisman itself will give its owner inner balance and peace of mind, self-confidence, revealing more and more new talents and gifts that were not previously discovered.

The blue mineral itself is a stone of purity, sincere people, it protects a person from the wrong path and action, decisions. Therefore, it is worth wearing it for insecure people, as well as for everyone who has an adventurous nature.

Lapis lazuli and zodiac signs

Lapis lazuli stone - who suits it according to the horoscope?

It is this mineral in any piece of jewelry, faceted or not, that is recommended to be worn by such representatives of the zodiac circle as Aquarius and Libra,. Representatives of these signs can wear lapis lazuli constantly - the energy of the stone will complement them without entering into resonance with it.

But Cancers and Capricorns are not recommended to wear lapis lazuli - their energy does not accept this heavenly stone, discordant with it. Taurus and Sagittarius can wear lapis lazuli inlaid into a ring or ring; all other signs of the zodiac circle can wear the mineral in any form.

The main thing is not to wear it all the time– the long-term influence of lapis lazuli, even positive, does not bring anything good. It should be periodically removed and placed in the sun, allowing the mineral to be saturated with the energy of the daylight - this will activate its protective, physical, healing and magical properties.