The name comes from the latin, lapis, which means stone, and from the Arabic, azul, which means blue. Lapis has been highly prized since ancient Babylonian and Egyptian times. Often used in amulets fashioned in the image of an eye and ornamented with gold, lapis lazuli was sometimes it was even buried with mummies. Lapis was recognized by the ancients as a symbol for ability, success and divine favor. The Romans believed that lapis was a powerful aphrodisiac. In the Middle Ages, it was thought to keep the limbs healthy and free the soul from error, envy and fear.

The beautiful blues in paintings from the Renaissance are thanks to the blue of lapis lazuli. It was used by painters to paint the sea and the sky until the nineteenth century. Lapis was also popular in architectural inlay work.

Lapis is a dark blue microcrystalline rock composed primarlily of the mineral lazurite. It often sparkles with golden pyrite inclusions. In addition to Afghanistan, lapis lazuli is still mined in Chile.