Lapis lazuli is named from the Persian 'lashward' meaning blue, and its uniquely intense colour has been a source of delight for over 6000 years. For many centuries the only known deposits were those at Sar-i-Sang, in a remote mountain valley in Badakhshan, Afghanistan. From here it was exported to the ancient civilizations of Egypt and Sumer (Ira), and later traded throughout the East and into Europe. These mines are still producing the finest quality lapis lazuli.

Lapis Lazuli is a rock composed chiefly of the blue silicate mineral lazurite, together with calcite and brassy-coloured pyrite which are abundant in the poorer quality material. The vivid blue of lazurite is cause by the sulphur that forms an essential part of its chemistry. At Sar-i-Sang the lapis lazuli occurs as a zone of lenses and veins within white marble, and grades from deep to pale blue with some violet and greenish tints. Today lapis lazuli is also mined in Siberia and in Chile, but material from these sources usually contains much calcite.

Lapis lazuli has always been fashioned as beads and cabochons, carved, or used in inlays and mosaics. In medieval Europe it was crushed to produce the precious pigment ultramarine that was used in many sacred paintings and manuscript illuminations. A substitute was sought for this costly pigment and since 1828 ultramarine has been made artificially.

• Description: A rock composed mainly of lazurite, with minor amounts of calcite and pyrite.

• Specific Gravity: 2.7 - 2.9

• Refractive Index: 1.5

• Hardness: 5.5

The picture below is the Kooh-i-Noor, part of the British Crown Jewels, Tower Of London. A wealth of legend as accumulated around this, perhaps the most famous of all diamonds. During the turbulent history the Kooh-i-Noor passed rapidly from one owner to another. From being owned by an Afghan descendant Mughal king to Persians and Indians and back to Afghans. It was presented to Queen Victoria in 1850 and was recut as a brilliant 1852, reducing the weight from 186 carats to 108.93 carats. Both Afghanistan and India are now claiming the ownership