Author: Amanda Watson
Photo credit: James E. Petts via Foter.com / CC BY-SA
Say hello to beautiful, striking, celestial Lapis Lazuli, or more commonly called, Lapis. This stone has been around for a surprisingly long time and has been prized since ancient times for its shockingly gorgeous blue color. Let's take a look at its unique place in history.
Lapis comes originally from northeastern Afghanistan, and can be traced back to as early as the 7th millennium BC (I told you it was old). It was even used in the funeral mask of King Tut himself. Not only was this stone sought after for its beauty as a stone, but also for its place in the world of art. After being exported to Europe, it began to be ground into a powder that was used to make ultramarine, the most expensive of all blue pigments. After this discovery, some of the finest painters of the Baroque and Renaissance period incorporated this color into some of their most famous paintings. It was often reserved for figures of importance, most notably the Virgin Mary. The use of lapis for this purpose ended in the 19th century after an identical synthetic version was discovered.
Photo credit: Mark Fischer via Foter.com / CC BY-SA
Now, lets take a more spiritual look at this mesmerizing stone. It is commonly accepted as a symbol of royalty and honor, gods and power, spirit and vision. Lapis has many uses for a variety of different professions. As a stone of truth, it encourages honesty of the spirit, and is also known to activate the higher mind thereby stimulating intellectual ability. It powers a desire for knowledge, truth, and understanding as well as being a catalyst for the learning process. Lapis has a great purpose for those wanting to enhance memory. Wearing lapis aids in all forms of deep communication. It is a stone of friendship and brings harmony in all relationships. Lapis also has many healing properties, both physical and emotional.
Here at MeritMade, we have been incorporating Lapis into several different wearable pieces. We want you to experience all of the benefits it has to offer, and look GREAT while doing so!
Take a look at what we currently have in the shop!
Happy shopping, Amanda