Lapis Lazuli Oval Sterling Pendant Navajo Artisan Thomas Francisco Native American Indian Silver Jewelry NAP-13037 special buy final sale. Beautiful deep blue Lapis Lazuli Oval cabochon surrounded in an interesting combination of traditional and contemporary design. This beautiful Lapis Pendant has an overall length of approximately 1 1/16 inch from top of bail to bottom and 9/16 inch at widest point. This Pendant includes a complimentary 16 Inch Italian made Box Chain. Italy is well renowned for their quality Sterling Chains which are finished in Fine Silver for lasting brilliance. Bail will comfortably fit chain or cord if so desired. Native American Indian Navajo Artisan Silversmith Thomas Francisco.
The Hallmark is hard to read but it does say Francisco on the back.
Lapis lazuli has been mined in the Badakhshan province of Afghanistan for over 6,000 years, and trade in the stone is ancient enough for lapis jewelry to have been found at Predynastic Egyptian sites (as archeologists have frequently stated, but lapis could also be found in, e.g. the Siwa Oasis in the Western Libyan desert), and lapis beads at neolithic burials in Mehrgarh, the Caucasus, and even as far from Afghanistan as Mauritania.