When I first saw the blue stone with the gold the specks, I loved it. A striking combination of rich blue and brassy gold. I bought my first stone about 14 years ago. Even my first nickname on the internet was Lapis Lazuli. Most of the people I talked with just shortened it into Lapis. Not even knowing the history or anything else about it , but started to read about it when people on the internet started asking questions about the strange nickname I used.

If you ask me, when you pronounce Lapis Lazuli it sounds beautiful. The name Lapis Lazuli is derived from the Latin ‘lapis' (=stone), and the Arab ‘azul' (=blue). In the Middle ages it got the name Lapis Lazulus which later on became Lapis Lazuli.

Lapis Lazuli can be found in Chile, the Soviet Union, the United States, but most significantly from the mountains of Afghanistan. The Lapis Lazuli from Afghanistan is the most beautiful. It's blue is more blue than from the other countries it can be found. Lapis is a dark blue microcrystalline rock composed primarily of the mineral lazurite .

This gemstone is hardly ever found in a pure form, but mostly with closed in pyrite crystals. Mines were lapis Lazuli can be found are in general under strict guard.

The very earliest cultures valued lapis lazuli more highly than gold. Lapis jewelry has been found at excavations of the Predynastic Egyptian site Naqada (3300-3100 B.C.) Ancient Egyptian Priests named it "the Stone from heaven". They were convinced the Stone had healing powers. They made scarabs out of it and other symbolic jewelry and made a practice of burying a lapis lazuli scarab with their dead as they believed it to offer protection. And described in the Egyptian Book of the Dead, lapis lazuli, in the shape of an eye set in gold, was considered an amulet of great power. Cleopatra even used powdered lapis as eye shadow.

It was once believed that lapis had medicinal properties. When it was ground down, mixed with milk people applied it as a dressing for boils and ulcers.

Alexander the Great brought the Lapis to Europe.

The Romans believed that lapis was a powerful aphrodisiac. In the Middle Ages, it was thought to keep the limbs healthy, and free the soul from error, envy and fear. Greeks believed that dreaming of lapis would foretell love that would be forever faithful.

Marco Polo found a Lapis mine in 1271 which existed for more than 5000 years. Stones were transported from there to all over the world and were used for vases, seals, jewelry, palaces and churches. It was also used in a grounded form to make expensive paint. It became the favorite stone of King Lowie XIV.

The beautiful blues in paintings from the Renaissance are thanks to the blue of lapis lazuli, the blue rock loved by the ancients. Ground lapis was the secret of the blue in ultramarine, the pigment which painters used to paint the sea and the sky until the nineteenth century. Lapis was also popular in inlays. The columns of St. Isaac's Cathedral in Petersburg are lined with lapis and the Pushkin Palace in Petersburg has lapis lazuli paneling.

Even the Hebrew Bible reverences to the Lapis lazuli in Job 28:6 The stones of it [are] the place of sapphires: and it hath dust of gold.

In today's World , Lapis lazuli is still used because of it so called healing powers. Lapis Lazuli is used with other stones when parts of the body need to be purified and cleansed.

Lapis Lazuli has high intensity and can open many of the chakra centers. That's why this stone is often used by people who believe in aura and chakra healing.

It is suggested, believed thatLapis Lazuli enhances the interconnectedness of the higher bodies with the physical body, resulting in a heightened willingness to communicate freely with the outer world.

The primary effect of Lapis is upon the throat; as such, Lapis affects the speech center and the ability to communicate freely and stay in touch with one's surroundings.

-Grounded down it can help with swellings , infections and insect bites .

-For improvement of sight

-With laryngitis

-Lowers blood pressure and Cholesterol

-Protection from UV radiation

-Positive influence for the nervous system, calming effect

-With Insomnia and fatigue

-Against fear and prejudice

-Improves your self confidence

-Gives willpower

-For a good harmony and balance between body, mind and soul

- for friendships

-Against depression

-Lessens anxiety and biting nails

-Helps with epileptic and strokes,

-Used with eczema

-Fits and helps chakra 6 .

Lapis lazuli, known as the stone of friendship and of love,is mostly used in jewelry and is a nice gift to give. Even if it's just because of it meaning.