The Lapis Lazuli Beads In Sapalli Culture And Ancient Near East

Lapis lazuli is one of the most attractive semi-precious stones. Due to its peculiar blue color and its rareness, it has been used since the Neolithic Period for the manufacturing of precious objects and jewels (beads, gems, seals, small decorative artworks, etc.). Scientific analysis of jewelry which was made of the lapis lazuli can help to explore deeper cultural, economic, and political relations between the ancient oases of Central Asia and the Ancient Eastern civilizations. In this article, it is cited scientific pieces of evidence about the earliest and still existing deposits of lapis lazuli sources and the ancient lapis lazuli jewelry. On top of that, it is given scientific information about the types of the lapis lazuli beads which was found from the monuments of Sapalli culture in the part of the Ancient Eastern Civilization such as Sapallitepa, Djarkutan, Mulali, Bustan VI, and also Central Asia.