Answer: Badakhshan province, Afghanistan
Notes: Lapis lazuli is a vivid blue rock used as a semi-precious gemstone for millennia. Its blue color comes from lazurite (25-40%), with sulphur affecting its shade. Calcite reduces blueness, while pyrites add a golden sparkle. It is found in Chile, Russia, and the US, but the highest quality is from Badakhshan, Afghanistan, mined for 6,000+ years. India imported it from Badakhshan since 1000 BC, and Indus sites like Mohenjo-daro and Harappa had lapis ornaments. Egyptians used it for jewelry and eye shadow, while Renaissance artists made ultramarine pigment from it.
