gems, lapis lazuli, Afghanistan, history of gemology, gem trade, Central Asia, carnelian, cornelian, Iraq, Mesopotamia, Ur, Chagai Hill

Archaeological excavations in the Near East have revealed the presence of lapis lazuli at major sites from Egypt to Central Asia. Lapis lazuli is the deep ultramarine-blue stone flecked with golden specks, reminiscent of the celestial vault, that has fascinated human societies for millennia. Lapis lazuli ornaments were among the prestige goods that every high-ranking dignitary was expected to take to the grave. In Mesopotamian and Egyptian cosmologies, lapis lazuli symbolized the supernatural life force at the root of divine power. This meaning was expressed through its use in temple decorations, sculptures, and jewelry adorning human bodies. The representation of the celestial vault appeared on Egyptian temple ceilings as a lapis-blue sky studded with golden stars. This privileged use of ultramarine blue flecked with gold as a symbol of the heavens and divine powers persisted and evolved over the following millennia. Such decoration appeared again on the coffered ceiling of the sanctuary of Poseidon and Erechtheus in the Erechtheion on the Acropolis of Athens, as well as on the vault of the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. Lapis lazuli was the true precious stone of the civilizations of the Near East and Egypt. Today, it is relegated to the status of a semi-precious stone, a place now taken by the diamond. Nevertheless, it remains a significant symbolic stone in traditional societies and is commonly regarded as a talisman against the evil eye.