Lapis Lazuli Tumbled Stone

History

Historians believe the link between humans and lapis lazuli stretches back more than 6,500 years. The gem was treasured by the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, Greece, and Rome. They valued it for its vivid, exquisite color, and prized it as much as they prized other blue gems like sapphire and turquoise. Long treasured, Lapis has been used by many cultures in a wide variety of ways. Today it is a valuable talisman for gaining respect, keeping negative energy away, and helping us to remember to be humble in our dealings with others. It is extensively used in honoring Goddesses, and it is a potent healing crystal for dealing with blockages of the throat chakra

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Geography

Northeast Afghanistan and Pakistan are the major sources of lapis lazuli. The mines west of Lake Baikal in Russia are also a source, as are the Andes mountains of Chili. Smaller quantities are mined in Italy, Mongolia, the United States and Canada. According to the Gemological Institute of America, Afghan lapis is intense and uniform in color, and medium dark or slightly violet blue

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Uses

The Sumerians believed that the spirit of their gods lived within the stone, while the ancient Egyptians saw it as a symbol of the night sky. Since the earliest of times, lapis lazuli has been associated with strength and courage, royalty and wisdom, intellect and truth. From antiquity, lapis lazuli has been worn in the belief that it will ward off evil. In ancient Egypt, it was powdered and worn about the eyes to improve eyesight. Today, it is considered by some to be an aid to balancing the brow chakra (which influences vision and hearing). Imbalances of the brow (or blue) chakra are said to cause headaches, anxiety and disorders of the skin

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Specs

 Your tumbled Lapis Lazuli stone will be intuitively chosen and will measure approximately 1 inch. Size & shape requests are always welcome, but due to the natural qualities of each piece I cannot guarantee I'll be able to match the request exactly