The lapis lazuli particles were also especially fine, which requires a laborious grinding process. This detail in particular suggests that the stones were purposefully made into pigment.

Mining of lapiz lazuli comes to near-standstill in Afghanistan as precious mineral finds few takers Investigations have shown that mining of the stone is funding and driving extremism in the region.

History’s blue Watch fans love a good backstory, and few naturally occurring materials have a better one than lapis lazuli. Each dial has a distinct texture because of the pyrite veins in the lapis ...

It estimates that mining for one semi-precious stone alone - lapis lazuli - has yielded almost $30m in two years. The BBC's Justin Rowlatt reports from Kabul.

Traces of lapis lazuli were found in the dental tartar of a woman who lived at a 12-century German monastery, leading researchers to believe she was a highly skilled artist who worked on ...

An Afghan man works at a lapis lazuli factory in the city of Kabul, Afghanistan. An international anti-corruption watchdog says Afghanistan's war is being fueled by the country's mining sector ...