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2024.03.13
カテゴリ：カテゴリ未分類
1. The word lapis is of Latin origin meaning stone. Lazuli is also Latin but comes from Arabic which again is of Persian (lazhward) origin meaning heaven or sky. Literally, it would be translated as stone from heaven. Pliny the Elder described it as a fragment of the starry firmament. In short, it's often called just lapis. 2. The word azure comes from French azur which, again comes from Latin azolum based on Persian lazhward). By the way, Lajward is a region in Badakhstan, a province of Afghanistan where the most famous lapis lazuli is mined. 3. It's a composed metamorphic rock made of several minerals of varying percentages. The major component of lapis lazuli is lazurite with a white calcite matrix and signature golden inclusions of pyrite. Lower amounts of apatite, afghanite, amphibole, diopside, dolomite, feldspar, forsterite, garnet, loellingite, mica, and phlogopite are often but not always present as well. The most valuable lapis has no visible calcite. Small amounts of pyrite add attractive shiny sprinkles but higher percentages result in dull greenish rocks of lower quality. The higher the percentage of lazurite, the higher the intensity of the blue color. The darker the shade of blue, the higher the price of stone.  Source: Free lapis lazuli images 4. The oldest artifacts made of lapis are more than ten thousand years old. They were found in the Indus Valley. Jewellery and decor with lapis lazuli in different forms were used all over the world, including Tutankhamun's funeral mask and Cleopatra's eyeshadow. 5. The major source of lapis lazuli of finest quality is Afghanistan with six thousand years of tradition. Chile and Russia have large amounts of lapis as well. 6. Lapis lazuli was used for making ultramarine blue pigment for centuries. It was used for oil paints, tempera, and frescoes. Lapis was especially popular during the Renaissance and Baroque. The ultramarine pigment was the most expensive (even more expensive than golden dust) of all pigments in those times. Since the 19th century, a cheap synthetic replacement with an identical chemistry formula has been available.
 7. Girl with a Pearl Earring by Johannes Vermeer is painted with lapis lazuli paint. 8. While royal blue is most closely associated with lapis lazuli, its color can range through a wide variety of blue shades with violet and greenish subtones. Persians, the first buyers of lapis classified the colors of the rock in three categories: dark blue (nili), light blue (assemani), and green (sabz). 9. The blue sky and blue robes in Michelangelo's frescoes for the Sistine Chapel are painted with lapis lazuli powder. The artist powdered the rock himself.  10. Lapis lazuli is very popular among crystal healers. It is believed it helps with numerous problems from anxiety and high blood pressure to insomnia and inflammation. Lapis strengthens the nervous and respiratory systems. Worn as an amulet protects against psychic attacks, improves creativity, and self-confidence, and acts as an emotional healer. 11. In 2016 lapis lazuli was pronounced as a 'conflict mineral' (technically speaking it's not a mineral, it's a rock) because illegal mining in Afghanistan helped to finance the Taliban's armed groups fighting administration in Kabul.  12. Ancient texts often refer to lapis lazuli as sapphire but we should not confuse it with a precious stone sapphire (one of two varieties of corundum) of a completely different chemical structure which was discovered only in Roman times. 13. Traditionally lapis was mined with large fires set in the tunnels of mines which were covered with a lot of water. The sudden change in temperature caused cracks which helped in mining. Today explosives are used for the same effect. 14. Lapis lazuli is semi-precious gem. Its price is estimated by the same criteria as all other gems (color, clarity, cut, size). Deep blue color with small amounts of pyrite's golden sprinkles, opaqueness without cracks, creative cuts, and fine polish are the main demands with the obvious wish to find as large crystal as possible. But stones with more than 10 carats are very rare. The rough estimated price of lapis lazuli is between 100 and 200 US dollars per carat.  15. Probably the most attractive collection of lapis can be seen in Hermitage Museum in Petersburg with figures and vases standing up to two meters. お気に入りの記事を「いいね！」で応援しよう
最終更新日
2024.03.13 12:18:50
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