This stone is not only gorgeous, but it also has
a unique history behind it. It is known as the
stone of "Friendhsip & Truth". The stone is
hung from a silver filled diamond shape and hung
on a stunning sterling silver chain. The extender
allows for various length options and also
features a "spirit" silver charm. The necklace is
finished with a sterling silver lobster clasp. I
will defintely be sad to see this one go.
This opaque, deep blue gemstone has a grand past.
It was among the first gemstones to be worn as
jewellery and worked on. At excavations in the
ancient centres of culture around the
Mediterranean, archaeologists have again and
again found among the grave furnishings
decorative chains and figures made of lapis
lazuli – clear indications that the deep blue
stone was already popular thousands of years ago
among the people of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Persia,
Greece and Rome. It is said that the legendary
city of Ur on the Euphrates plied a keen lapis
lazuli trade as long ago as the fourth millennium
B.C., the material coming to the land of the two
great rivers from the famous deposits in
Afghanistan. In other cultures, lapis lazuli was
regarded as a holy stone. Particularly in the
Middle East, it was thought to have magical
powers. Countless signet rings, scarabs and
figures were wrought from the blue stone which
Alexander the Great brought to Europe. There, the
colour was referred to as 'ultramarine', which
means something like 'from beyond the
sea'.
