Afghanistan’s Blue Treasure — The 5,000-Year Story of Lapis Lazuli
Afghanistan’s Blue Treasure — The 5,000-Year Story of Lapis Lazuli For over five thousand years , deep in the mountains of Afghanistan , a hidden treasure has gleamed — a blue stone once considered more valuable than gold. This is the legendary Lapis Lazuli , mined in the ancient Sar-e-Sang mines of northern Afghanistan. Centuries ago, traders carried this stone across deserts on camel caravans, all the way to Egypt and Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) . There, it adorned the crowns of pharaohs, royal jewelry, and the walls of temples. When ground into pigment, it became known as Ultramarine — a color so rare and precious that it was reserved for kings, goddesses, and the skies themselves. It’s believed that mining in Badakhshan dates back to around 5000 BCE . The ancient Egyptians used Lapis Lazuli in jewelry, amulets, and even in the golden mask of the young pharaoh Tutankhamun . When painters discovered its brilliant blue pigment, masters like Michelangelo and Vermeer used it ...