Lapis lazuli, the alternate birthstone for September, was once the source of the pigment known as ultramarine blue. It has been mined in Afghanistan for six thousand years. It is said to protect its wearer from the evil eye.
The alternative birthstone for September is lapis lazuli, which is a rock, not a mineral.Its main component is the mineral lazurite. The rock may also contain calcite, sodalite, and pyrite. Lapis was ground to make ultramarine blue tempera and oil paints used in illuminated medieval manuscripts and Renaissance panels.
Lapis lazuli has been the subject of poetry and literature. The poem "Lapis Lazuli" written by William Butler Yeats,reflects upon the role of art in a war torn world. In the ancient Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh, lapis lazuli is the material of which the horns of the Bull of Heaven are formed. In Marian Moore´s poem "The Talisman", lapis appears as a carved scarab. And in the science fiction novel A Time for Love, by Robert A. Heinlein, Lapis Lazuli is the name of one of the main character´s twin cloned daughters.
Lapis lazuli has been mined in Afghanistan for over six thousand years. The ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians obtained lapis from Afghanistan and used it for necklaces, carvings, vases, mosaics and architectural features.
Some cultures regarded lapis as a holy stone. It is said to harmonize the heart and mind. Legend says that lapis lazuli protects the wearer from the evil eye.
Although the best lapis lazuli is mined in Afghanistan, it is also found in Chile, Russia, Pakistan, India, Canada and the US.
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