Lapis Lazuli

In the Ancient Egyptian world, dark blue was the colour of the all-embracing, protective night sky manifest in one of the most evocative aspects of ancient cosmology, the highly revered principal goddess Nut. Besides its natural beauty, this association goes some way to conveying why, to the Ancient Egyptians, Lapis Lazuli was valued most highly of all their stones. Thought to be of divine origin Lapis Lazuli had important almuletic significance in the souls protection in the afterlife. The darker Lapis, associated with the primordial sky Goddess may carry more sincere and deeper associations that the lighter blue Turquoise associated with the sky goddess Hathor, consort to the sun god Ra. For this reason Lapis Lazuli was one of the most important materials of Ancient Egyptian art, used to create beautiful statuettes of deities and amuletic jewellery. Ancient Egyptians also used the precious stone to create blue cosmetics.