Lapis Lazuli
Lapis lazuli, or lapis for short, is a deep-blue metamorphic rock used as a semi-precious stone that has been prized since antiquity for its intense color as early as the 7th millennium BC. This gemstone has been prized for its bright, blue color and used for inlay and intarsia as well as for pigments for cosmetics and paintings. Its contrast and eye appeal are irresistible. Lapis Lazuli was a favorite amongst the elites in ancient Egypt, where judges wore amulets picturing Ma'at, the Egyptian goddess of Truth and Pharaohs adoring themselves with this hypnotically blue stone in this life and the next one. Most prominently from this era, the funeral mask of Tutankhamun and his jewelry was richly decorated with lapis lazuli.
