Lapis Lazuli is known as the stone of the sky because of its charming sky-blue color. Lapis is a Latin word that means stone while we are not certain about the etymology of the word Lazuli, but it is said that it has its origin within an ancient Persian word that was the name of the area where Lapis Lazuli was mined. The beautiful stone of Lapis Lazuli is a rock more than a mineral and it has more than one kind of minerals in it. There are various kinds of Lapis Lazuli; some of them are counted the best while the others are considered inferior. The stone that has spots or strips of gold colored pyrite is considered the best in quality. Some stones have these spots and strips in white, but one thing is quite important to mention that the whiteness of these stones decreases their value and the whiter the stone is, the lesser vale it has.

Lapis Lazuli is somewhat as old as hills; it used to mine in different areas of today?s Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran even more than 6,500 years ago. Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Pakistan and Afghanistan are the countries that are quite well-known for the production of this stone. During ancient times, the stone was used for carvings of the sacred scarab beetle in Egypt.

Similarly, many people used to associate some healing powers with this stone and used them as amulet to intensify their sexual desires and attract the opposite set. Romans used Lapis Lazuli to adore royal palaces and churches. Some people also used lapis lazuli as medicine and used it with milk to treat the diseases like boils and ulcers. Many decorative items like jewelry boxes, vases and sculptures are made even today by using that stone.

Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, South America and Egypt serve as the hub of the best kinds of Lapis Lazuli. Lapis Lazuli is quite prone to heat and chemical because they are soft and requires some cares for wearing. The stone often fades away when it is exposed to the sun for longer duration. It also emits somewhat unbearable smell when a jeweler cuts them to mould in different shapes and it happens because of the sulfur content of Lapis Lazuli.

In many parts of the world, the stone is quite well known as the stone of friendship and love. People like to give it as a gift to the loved ones and friends. One good thing about Lapis Lazuli is that it has been using for centuries but it enjoys the same popularity and even more beauty as it used to enjoy in the past. Zeal and zest with passion is the thing that we can find in the hue of lapis lazuli if we examine it closely.