"Afghan Lapis Lazuli Specimen" showcases a magnificent raw stone of extraordinary size and quality, its deep celestial blue punctuated with striking veins of pyrite and white calcite that create dramatic natural patterning across its polished surfaces. The substantial piece stands as a sculptural form with angular facets that catch and reflect light, highlighting the stone's exceptional clarity and the characteristic gold-like sparkles embedded throughout its rich ultramarine matrix. This rare specimen exemplifies the finest quality lapis lazuli from Afghanistan's renowned Sar-i Sang mines, displaying the perfect balance of intense color and mineral inclusions that have made this stone treasured by civilizations across millennia.

About Artwork: Afghan Lapis Lazuli Specimen

Physical Characteristics

This impressive 2025 lapis lazuli specimen weighs approximately 10 kilograms (21 pounds) and measures 14 inches in height, 5 inches in length, and 4 inches in width. Sourced from the historic Badakhshan province in Afghanistan, this metamorphic rock consists primarily of lazurite, pyrite, and calcite, creating its characteristic deep blue color flecked with golden sparkles. The specimen has been partially polished to enhance its natural beauty while maintaining its raw, crystalline structure in certain areas, creating a dynamic interplay between refined and natural surfaces.

Historical Significance

Lapis lazuli from these exact mines has been prized for over 6,000 years, making this not just a beautiful object but a connection to human artistic heritage. The Sar-i Sang deposits have supplied this precious material to the ancient civilizations of Persia, Egypt, and Mesopotamia. During the Renaissance, this same stone would have been painstakingly ground to create the precious ultramarine pigment used by masters like Vermeer in his iconic "Girl with a Pearl Earring" – the very painting that inspired the curator's quest to acquire this specimen.

Symbolic Meaning

Throughout history, lapis lazuli has carried profound cultural significance. Pliny the Elder described it as "opaque and sprinkled with specks of gold," while Jewish tradition viewed the combination of heavenly blue and sun-like glitter as emblematic of success. In Christian tradition, the stone became associated with the Virgin Mary, often used to color her robes in religious paintings. The piece carries this rich symbolic heritage while functioning as a stunning sculptural element in contemporary spaces.

Acquisition Journey

This particular specimen has its own modern story, having been sourced through a chance encounter with an Afghan stone dealer on Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco. The piece represents not only geological beauty but the personal journey of discovery inspired by a transformative museum experience. When displayed, this impressive lapis specimen serves as both a natural art object and a conversation piece connecting viewers to artistic traditions spanning thousands of years.

Having experienced Johannes Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring painting at the Mauritshuis museum in The Hague, Netherlands- the utramarine blue in the head covering was etched in my mind. After research found out that the color was from the lapis lazuli metamorphic rock. Thus began the journey to source the best large format Lapis one could find.