Historically, it was highly valued by the Indus Valley Civilisation (3000 - 1900 BCE) and Lapis beads have been found at Neolithic burials in Mehrgarh (today’s Pakistan), the Caucasus (Black Sea/Caspian sea area). It was also used in the funeral mask of Tutankhamun (1341 - 1323 BCE).

The Lapis Lazuli artefacts have been dated back to 7570 BC, where they have been found in many prehistoric settlements, including in Northern Mesopotamia, South East Iran, as well as in Sumerian city-state of Ur, inside a royal tomb in the form of dagger handles, amulets, inlays representing eyebrows and beards, and bow inlaid. Lapis Lazuli jewellery has also been found at Mycenae attesting to relations between the Mycenaean and the developed civilisations of Egypt and the East.

Pliny The Elder wrote that Lapis Lazuli is “opaque and sprinkled with specks of gold”. Because the stone combines the blue of the heavens and golden glitter of the sun.

In late classical times and as late as the Middle Ages, Lapis Lazuli was often referred as sapphire, though since Sapphire was not known before the Roman Empire, most scholars agree that they most likely are references to Lapis Lazuli, especially in the Old Testament.

By the end of the Middle Ages, Lapis Lazuli began to be exported to Europe, where it was ground into powder and made into ultramarine, the finest and most expensive of all blue pigments. Ultramarine was used by some of the most important artists of the Renaissance and Baroque, including Masaccio, Perugino, Titian and Vermeer. Ultramarine has also been found in dental tartar of medieval nuns and scribes.