Lapis Lazuli: Meaning, History, Symbolic Properties and Care

What is lapis lazuli?

Lapis lazuli is not a mineral but a rock: an assemblage of several minerals. The main one, lazurite, gives the blue colour (it usually makes up 25 to 40% of the stone). It is accompanied by calcite (the white veins), pyrite (the small golden specks that evoke a starry sky) and often sodalite (a slightly paler blue). The name combines the Latin lapis, “stone”, and the medieval Latin lazuli, which points back to Arabic and Persian and refers to the colour blue.

The most famous mine, worked for millennia, is at Sar-e-Sang, in the province of Badakhshan, Afghanistan. Chile (the Ovalle region) supplies a paler stone, and Russia (the Lake Baikal region) also produces it. This scarce resource carried the stone over very long distances.

A seven-thousand-year history

Lapis lazuli is among the materials worked the longest: beads, seals and jewellery have been found in Mesopotamia, then in ancient Egypt, where it was prized for its deep colour, rare at the time. Its use is estimated at around 7,000 years.

Ground into powder, it yielded the pigment ultramarine (“from beyond the sea”, since it arrived by boat from the East). This blue was sometimes worth more than gold and was often reserved for the clothing of the most important figures in paintings. An artificial ultramarine was developed in the 1820s, which made the natural pigment fall out of use. These landmarks show above all that the stone has always been associated with prestige and the sacred, in many cultures.

Traditional symbolism

In the modern stone tradition, lapis lazuli is associated with wisdom, truth, reflection and sincere speech. Its night-time blue and golden specks recalled the starry sky to many civilisations, hence a frequent link with the divine, kingship and knowledge.

These associations come from the object’s history and from the imagination of writers, not from proven properties. The stone confers neither wisdom nor luck; it can, however, become a pleasant support for anyone who wants to refocus or write.

Traditional correspondences

To understand the third eye and the throat chakra, see our dedicated pages.

How to use it

• As jewellery: cabochons, beads, pendants, rings. Avoid wearing it in the shower or in a swimming pool.
• As an object: a sphere, an egg or a small carving to place on a desk or an altar.
• In meditation: hold a pebble in your hand at the start of a writing or reflection session; some people set it in front of them as a point of focus.
• As a gift: a colour of depth and elegance, often chosen to mark a diploma or a milestone.

These practices belong to personal ritual and have no guaranteed effect. See also our guide to gemstone jewellery.

Care and cleansing

Lapis lazuli is fairly soft (about 5 to 5.5) and sensitive to some products; it contains calcite, which acids attack.

• Water: no soaking. Use a barely damp cloth, then a dry one.
• Products: avoid perfumes, household cleaners, vinegar, lemon, as well as ultrasonic and steam cleaners.
• Sun: prolonged exposure is not advised, as a precaution.
• Salt: to be avoided.
• Scratches: store it apart, in a soft cloth.

For a gentle symbolic purification, the smoke of incense, moonlight or the sound of a singing bowl are enough. See the guide to purifying and recharging your stones.

Recognising real lapis and avoiding surprises

Real lapis shows an uneven blue, with white patches (calcite) and flecks of pyrite, golden and with a metallic sheen. A stone of perfectly uniform blue deserves a second look.

• Dyed jasper: sometimes sold under names such as “Swiss lapis” or “German lapis”. The white and golden specks are generally absent or irregular, and the dye can collect in the cracks.
• Synthetic glass (Gilson type): made in a laboratory, it is sometimes dotted with false “pyrite”. Only a laboratory can settle the question if in doubt.
• Reconstituted lapis: lapis powder bound with resin; the proportion of real lapis varies from one product to another.
• Sodalite: a natural, paler stone, sometimes mislabelled; see the sodalite page.
• Treatments: lapis is sometimes impregnated with wax or resin, or lightly dyed to improve its colour. This is common and acceptable if it is disclosed.

How to choose your lapis lazuli

The classic criteria are an intense, even blue, a little well-distributed pyrite (without too much white calcite) and a regular polish. A very white or greenish stone will be less sought after. Afghan origin is the most prestigious, but in itself it does not guarantee quality.

Prices vary widely: from modest beads to fine pieces of deep blue. A very low price for a large object of perfect blue should raise questions. In combination, it is often seen with sodalite, azurite or pyrite.

Frequently asked questions

Also read

The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to Guide to stones.