lapis lazuli (lăpˈĭs lăzˈŏlē) [key], gem, deep blue, violet, or
greenish blue in color and usually flecked with yellow iron
pyrites. It is composed of lazurite, a complex sodium aluminum
silicate, mixed with other minerals, and is usually found in
masses, rather than in crystals, in metamorphosed limestones.
Sources of supply are Afghanistan, Chile, Siberia, upper
Myanmar, California, and Colorado. It was formerly made into
vases and bowls and has been used from ancient times for beads
and small ornaments. It was also extensively used in mosaics and
was the "sapphire" of the ancients. The Columbia Electronic
Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University
Press. All rights reserved. More on lapis lazuli from Fact
Monster: See more Encyclopedia articles on: Mineralogy and
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