Lapis lazuli stone: features, meaning and properties

The first association at the sight of lapis lazuli is the firmament. Depending on the color, it can look like a blue, cloudless sky in bright sunny weather, a dark blue pre-night or evening sky covered with stars created by golden pyrite inclusions.

In addition to the bright appearance Lapis lazuli is endowed with great energy potential - it is no coincidence that the stone has long been used as amulets and for the treatment of various diseases. From this article you will learn in detail about its healing and magical properties, about what value a person has for a mineral today, who it suits, where it is mined, and how it is used.

The etymology of the word "lapis lazuli" goes back to the Arabic azur ("blue") or the Persian "lajvard" ("heavenly stone"). As you can see, their value is almost identical, and it indicates the color of the mineral, which can vary from sky blue to deep blue, and even indigo. Until the XVIII century, it was called "lapis lazuli". However, today this word is used only in relation to the highest quality grades of mineral.

Lapis lazuli is considered a semiprecious stone with a low cost - the price per 1 gram does not exceed $ 5. It belongs to the class of silicate minerals. It consists of aluminum, sodium, silicon and oxygen.

In addition to these basic elements, pyrite, calcite, feldspar, pyroxene, and others may also be part of lapis lazuli. The first component even gives the mineral additional attractiveness - pyrite inserts look like golden threads, but there should be no more than 15% of them. But the remaining impurities reduce the value and market value of lapis lazuli, which means that they make it unsuitable for the creation of jewelry.

Minerals containing a large amount of calcite and feldspar are used mainly for the manufacture of various handicrafts and the decoration of the internal and external walls of buildings.

One of the basic physical characteristics of precious and semi-precious stones is hardness. According to this indicator, lapis lazuli is in the middle of the ten-point Mohs scale (5.5). The stone is quite fragile, it is easy to damage.

Another important parameter is transparency. It is low in lapis lazuli. By relatively transparent can be attributed only the highest quality copies. In the form of crystals, lapis lazuli is practically not found in nature - as a rule, it is part of the marble slabs, from which it is then removed.

The use of lapis lazuli is not limited to the jewelry sphere. Yes, from the highest quality stones make jewelry. Most often this is jewelry, as the use of precious metals is not justified by combining with a cheap celestial mineral, even the most elite varieties. Although lapis lazuli in silver and even gold frames can be found in jewelry stores.

Since lapis lazuli is an inexpensive stone, and ornaments with it are usually used as amulets, a cabochon cut is used, as a result of which the mineral gets a smooth convex shape without edges.This method of processing allows you to emphasize the unusual color of the stone, and the lack of edges is explained by the insufficient brilliance and light refraction of the celestial mineral.

Lapis lazuli is actively used as an ornamental material. Various art objects are made from it: caskets, souvenirs, vases, figurines and other decorative and applied products. The most low-value varieties are used for interior design and cladding of building facades.

The history of lapis lazuli has 7 thousand years. The first source of mineral extraction was the Badakhshan Mine in Afghanistan. Another oldest lapis lazuli deposit was in Iran. From these countries lapis lazuli was already supplied to Egypt, Greece, Rome, the states of Asia and Europe.

The mineral was in great demand as a jewelry and ornamental stone, as well as a finishing material for facing columns, fireplaces, walls of palaces and temples. In those days, lapis lazuli was a very rare mineral with a complex method of extraction, therefore it was very expensive.

Highly valued stone and in Egypt. He personified the god Amon-Ra, so the priests painted their clothes with a powder made of lapis lazuli. The stone also symbolized the power of Pharaoh - God on earth. The palaces of the Egyptian rulers were trimmed with this mineral. Statues of lapis lazuli were also found in the tombs of the pharaohs, the entrance to which was protected by scarab beetles, also made of celestial stone. Even on the robes of Egyptian judges, there is a lazurite figure of the goddess of truth. Lapis lazuli was of great importance in China - it was part of the emperor's headdress.

But the use of lapis lazuli was not limited to this. Lapis lazuli powder was used in medicine - antiemetic drugs were made from it. Since ancient times, lapis lazuli also served as a raw material for the production of ultramarine paints, which artists from all over the world actively used until the 19th century, until its artificial counterpart appeared. In the Renaissance, lapis lazuli was incredibly popular. Jewelry, magical amulets, various objects of art were made from it, it was also actively used for decorating walls and ceilings of architectural structures.

In Russia, the mineral appeared and began to be actively used since the reign of Ivan the Terrible. At first it was imported from Afghanistan and Iran. But in the era of Catherine the Great, its own deposits of lazurite mineral were discovered - they were located in the area near Lake Baikal. In the decoration of such architectural masterpieces as St. Isaac's Cathedral,

The most beautiful and expensive lapis lazuli is mined in Afghanistan in the northeastern province of Badakhshan (the Badakhshan deposit). It is either uniformly saturated blue or streaked with pyrite - sulfur pyrite, which looks like golden threads crossing the mineral along and across. The Russian stone obtained from deposits in the southern Baikal region - on the bank of the Slyudyanka River is also highly valued.

The color palette of lapis lazuli is very wide: the color of the stone can be pale blue, turquoise, rich blue and purple, even a greenish tint can be present. The most expensive specimens are distinguished by a deep blue-violet color, uniform texture, and generally have no pattern.Equal to them recognize minerals with pyrite yellow inserts - they look very impressive and give lapis lazuli additional nobility and luxury.

Lapis lazuli is usually divided into three groups.

• Niili. These are the highest quality stones. Their color is dark blue, sometimes turning into indigo. They either have no ornament or a golden pyrite pattern is allowed, but not more than 15%. This category includes Afghan lapis lazuli, which is recognized today as the best.

• Asmani. The stones of this intermediate group have a gentle, sky-blue color. They are valued less than nili, but more than sufsi.

• Sufsi. This is the lowest quality lapis lazuli, as it has a green tint. Sufsi are completely inappropriate for jewelry purposes - such stones are mainly used as wall decoration elements.

The following classification is based on the uniformity criterion. According to this parameter, the minerals are also divided into three types.

• Homogeneous. Such minerals are the most expensive. They are blue-violet, have no stripes or spots, and therefore are used for the production of jewelry. There are practically no impurities in them. Only minor pyrite streaks are allowed.

• Spotted with small streaks. Impurities of carbonate, feldspar, apatite, and other elements form stains and spots on the stone that violate the homogeneity of its structure. Such minerals are used to create amulets and the production of decorative and applied products.

• Spotted with stripes. Due to the presence of a large amount of foreign matter in their composition, such minerals are abundantly “painted” with light stripes and various patterns. They are absolutely unsuitable for jewelry purposes - the stones of this group are mainly used for interior decoration.

Although lapis lazuli does not have a high jewelry significance, it also has valuable magical and healing properties.

Lapis lazuli has a very bright and positive energy, which has a beneficial effect both on the carrier of the stone and on the people around it. Therefore, the heavenly mineral is so popular with true magicians and healers who heal the soul and body of man.

Among other properties.

• The stone purifies the mind from vicious, destructive and negative thoughts, and the soul from envy, hatred, irritation and anger. Man gets rid of heavy memories and excessive self-criticism.
• It adjusts the person who wears it to higher vibrations, fills it with clear and bright thoughts that provoke a person to do good deeds.
• It creates an invisible protective barrier between its owner and people who wish him evil. It protects its owner from negative influence from the outside, redirecting negative energy to the one from whom it came.
• Restores composure, relieves from disturbing thoughts and makes its owner more calm and cool, effectively helps with panic attacks and depression. However, there is a downside to this property - the thought process and the speed of reaction slow down. Therefore, it is undesirable to wear a stone to doctors, firefighters, drivers of all vehicles, air traffic controllers and representatives of other professions who need to make quick decisions.
• It is believed that lapis lazuli attracts luck, prosperity and prosperity to the life of its owner, helps to achieve new career heights and be realized in the chosen profession. The greatest energetic force is raw mineral, which is best kept on the desktop or at home.
• It is useful for women to wear lapis lazuli earrings if they want to attract love and happiness in their lives, and at the same time protect themselves from envy, evil eye, damage and gossip.
• Stone stimulates change. If a person wants, but is afraid to change something, to part with the past in order to make room for a new one, then lapis lazuli gives him confidence and determination that will help make the leap into the unknown. This can apply to absolutely any sphere: change of job, type of activity or place of residence, changes in personal life.

Lapis lazuli is useful for many ailments.

• In ancient times, lapis lazuli powder served as a means for removing toxic substances from the body. He helped restore the stomach after poisoning and stopped vomiting. Also played the role of anthelmintic drug.

• In the Middle Ages, it was believed that products of lapis lazuli help those who suffer from a lack of weight to gain the missing kilos and overcome physical exhaustion.

• A necklace or pendant from lapis lazuli is recommended for women who are expecting a child. Under the protection of the stone, pregnancy will proceed favorably, the expectant mother will avoid toxicosis and give birth to a healthy baby.

• The stone has a beneficial effect on the female genital organs, preventing and reducing inflammatory processes in them.

• Contemplating lapis lazuli is believed to help improve vision. If you want to increase its sharpness, then look at the stone 5-6 times a day for 7-10 minutes. And after working with a computer, a blue crystal effectively relieves tension from tired eyes.

• Helps people with breathing problems. Reduces allergies, reduces the intensity and frequency of asthma attacks. Effectively relieves dry cough.

• Beneficial effect on the circulatory and lymphatic systems, contributes to the rapid tightening of wounds and reduce pain, especially if the stone is applied to the sore spot. Cleans the blood from toxins, reduces cholesterol.

• Lapis lazuli beads relieve skin diseases: teenage acne and various rashes on the face and body.

• It improves mental state and strengthens the nervous system. It helps with neurosis and depression, reduces stress, normalizes sleep. It is recommended to use the stone during meditation - this way you can quickly achieve a relaxed state.

• Those who wish to have thick, long and beautiful hair should be added to the arsenal of tools to achieve this goal lapis lazuli earrings. They will improve the condition of the curls, reduce their fragility and loss.

• Reduces pressure in hypertensive patients, while in hypotensive patients, on the contrary, raises it to the desired level, restoring vitality and vigorous mood

• Ensures the normal functioning of the endocrine system and eliminates various hormonal disorders. It helps with diseases of the thyroid gland.

• It improves the body's immunity, helps it fight viral and infectious diseases.

• It relieves headaches and prevents new migraine attacks.

• Promotes rejuvenation of the whole organism, stimulating its renewal at the cellular level.

Of all the signs of the zodiac, lapis lazuli is best suited Fish, Aquarius and Libra. It is also recommended to wear jewelry with a fiery blue mineral and unrestrained Strelets and Aries - the stone will soothe their quick-tempered temper, reduce the intensity of passions and emotions, make them more balanced.

Absolute zodiacal incompatibility of lapis lazuli can be traced with Cancers and Capricorn - the stone does not suit them at all, and can even bring into life representatives of these signs of trouble and misfortune. The stone is also contraindicated for Leos and Scorpios - it contradicts their bright personality and strong energy. Virgins and Gemini can wear a celestial mineral, but more as an aesthetic attribute - as a talisman, it will bring them neither harm nor good. It is better to opt for amulets with other stones.

All minerals belong to one of the four elements: Earth, Water, Air and Fire.

Lapis lazuli is a terrestrial stone and goes well with its "classmates", which also include jasper, chalcedony, agate, malachite, jade, turquoise, and others. This is the most harmonious and ideal, from an energetic point of view, neighborhood: minerals will complement and strengthen the beneficial properties of each other.

We tolerate lapis lazuli and to air minerals. This group includes amethyst, transparent quartz, rock crystal, chrysoprase. However, the neighborhood with them is undesirable if you want to activate the magical properties of lapis lazuli - a stone, having such partners, will not work to the full.

And, finally, the last, fiery group, with its energetics, will only suppress the terrestrial lazuli, therefore such stones as amber, coral, pyrope, almandine should not be in the same energy space with the celestial mineral. And a fiery diamond and a ruby ​​will simply “kill” calm lapis lazuli with their luxury and grandeur, both energetically and aesthetically.

Despite the fact that lapis lazuli is an inexpensive semi-precious mineral, it is forged quite often, and there are many variants of false counterparts. They can be divided into three groups.

• Other materials: Most often, lapis lazuli "dress up" ordinary glass or polymer plastic, which is simply painted in the appropriate color. This fake is the cheapest, but the easiest way to determine it is: the stone weighs more than the imitation material and also has a low thermal conductivity - no matter how much you hold it in your hands, it will not warm up, but will remain the same cold. Water will also help determine the fake - partially wash away the paint applied to it.
• Cheaper semi-precious stones not less rarely play the role of their heavenly “fellow”. As such, jasper, sodalite, dumortierite, chalcedony, cacholong, azurite can act. To calculate a fake, you just need to immerse the stone in the water. If it gets wet evenly, you can not worry - you bought real lapis lazuli. But if you see a cluster of small drops on its surface, it means that the stone was painted and in front of you is most likely a fake. Lapis lazuli has another important feature: it looks most brightly and spectacularly in the sunlight, and with artificial light, on the contrary, it looks dim and inexpressive. This option will also help you distinguish it from other minerals.
• Grown in laboratories artificial lapis lazuli, too, often issued for the creation of nature, rather than human hands. This fake is the most difficult to recognize, sometimes fraudsters do not even stint to add the smallest particles of gold to it in order to create the effect of pyrite veins. But the drawing of natural lapis lazuli is more chaotic and natural.

Another effective way to determine the authenticity of lapis lazuli is to throw it into the fire. A real stone is not afraid of this element - the flame is incapable of damaging it, the mineral will simply become darker from the very long exposure to high temperatures. But hardly anyone wants to conduct such an experiment and risk a purchased product.

If you want to dispel doubts about the authenticity of the stone in the most secure and guaranteed way, then it is best to give it to a laboratory for testing. There they will tell you for sure whether you bought real lapis lazuli or not.

Lapis lazuli does not require special care. But in order not to spoil the appearance of the stone, it is important to know a few things.

• Keep it in individual packaging - preferably in a velvet or suede bag.
• Avoid "collisions" of the mineral with other stones and hard objects.
• Lapis lazuli does not like long water procedures, so you should not go to the pool, bath or shower with it. However, water can be used to cleanse a stone, even ordinary tap water. But it is better if the pollution is not very strong, just wipe the mineral with a damp cloth or a napkin, and then wipe dry.
• It is acceptable to use cleaning chemicals, but not too aggressive and without the content of hydrochloric acid - under its influence lapis lazuli will lose its color and begin to decompose.
• The use of abrasives is contraindicated - they can damage the surface of the mineral.
• Lapis lazuli can sunbathe without restrictions - it will not dim from that. On the contrary, the mineral in the sun will look even brighter and more dazzling, being recharged from the daytime star with its positive energy.

The low market value and insignificant jewelry value of the stone is compensated by its most valuable properties. Heavenly mineral will give peace of mind, confidence and spiritual harmony to its owner, and can also become a wonderful decoration of his home.

About what are the properties and secrets of lapis lazuli, see the following video.