Raw lapis lazuli is a piece of human history you can display in your home. This deep royal blue, studded with golden flecks of pyrite and sometimes streaked with white calcite veins, has the same intensity in its raw form as it does in the most refined jewelry. It is the same material the Sumerians revered 6,000 years ago, that the Egyptians set in Tutankhamun's mask, and that Renaissance painters ground to create ultramarine, the most expensive pigment in art history. Holding a piece of raw lapis lazuli is like holding the same blue Vermeer used for the earring of his "Girl with a Pearl Earring." The finest specimens still come from the mines of Sar-e-Sang in Afghanistan's Badakhshan province, the very same mines exploited continuously since antiquity.
In lithotherapy, raw lapis lazuli is considered the most powerful form of this stone of wisdom. Its intact structure is believed to diffuse an energy of truth, discernment, and inner nobility that is more direct and profound than the polished version. Placed on a desk, it stimulates the intellect, sharpens discernment, and aids in making fair decisions. In a meditation space, it opens the third eye chakra with remarkable depth and facilitates access to clear and sincere intuition. Held in the hand, it connects to that ancient wisdom spanning millennia. It is also a spectacular decorative object: a block of raw lapis lazuli placed on a shelf, with its golden flecks against a midnight blue background, has a presence that transforms a room.
For care, no salt, no acids, no chemicals. Clean your raw lapis lazuli with a soft, slightly damp cloth and recharge it under moonlight. With a hardness of 5 to 6 on the Mohs scale, store it separately from harder stones to avoid scratches.
