Lapis Jewelry in History

Lapis jewelry has long been admired by many civilizations throughout history. Lapis is an extremely versatile gemstone that historically has served a multitude of purposes. Among its early usages were utilizing ground lapis powder for perceived medicinal and spiritual uses, and employing ground lapis in a water mixture to serve as colored paint for artists. In its solid form, lapis, long used as an ornament for jewelry, continues to captivate the viewer’s imagination with its beautiful color. Mined in Afghanistan for over six thousand years, the gemstone’s incorporation into Native American jewelry occurred at a later, more modern date, when Native American artisans embraced this ancient and distinctive gemstone and often include it in contemporary styles of Native American jewelry.

Although there are minerals present in lapis, such as calcite and pyrite, its majority makeup consists of lazurite, therefore classifying lapis as a rock. The presence of minerals, however, determines the value of the gemstone, either increasing or devaluing its worth. For example, pyrite, also known as “Fool’s Gold”, creates a stunning spectacle of gold to bronze tones that, when in small inclusions, raises the value of the particular piece of lapis jewelry. Whereas small specs of pyrite enhance the desirability of lapis jewelry, large or abundant streaks of white calcite or pyrite devalues the gemstone, decreasing its economic worth. The primary color of lapis is a dark deep-ocean blue that results from the presence of sulfur. The dark blue contains hues of purple and sometimes a hint of green.

The strikingly beautiful canvas of the dark blue of lapis and the presence of stunning pyrite specs inspired Native Americans to incorporate the gemstone into magnificent forms of lapis jewelry. The familiarity of working with softer gemstones, such as turquoise, made the use of lapis an easy means of broadening existing styles. Whether cut and shaped into round and flat beads for necklaces , inlayed on bracelets, as a centerpiece to rings and earrings, or in shell mosaics, lapis jewelry adds a distinct look to traditional yet contemporary Native American jewelry.