Lapis lazuli has been mined in Afghanistan for thousands of years.
The name, which comes from Persian and Arabic, means 'stone from the sky' or 'stone from heaven.'
Lapis lazuli, which is a rock, not a mineral, can only be found in a few locations worldwide.
Throughout history, this popular stone has been mistaken for sapphire because, in the ancient world, it was known as 'sapphirus.'
The golden specks of pyrite in lapis lazuli are inclusions within the mineral lazurite.
Lapis lazuli is abundant in ancient Egyptian tombs and was also used in the iconic funerary mask of King Tutankhamun.
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