In which district of the Badakhshan Province is the settlement located which is famous for its ancient mines, which produce a deep blue metamorphic rock used as a semi-precious stone that has been prized since antiquity for its intense color, and are said to produce the world's finest of this stone?
Lapis lazuli Lapis lazuli ( , ), or lapis for short, is a deep blue metamorphic rock used as a semi-precious stone that has been prized since antiquity for its intense color. As early as the 7th millennium BC, lapis lazuli was mined in the Sar-i Sang mines, in Shortugai, and in other mines in Badakhshan province in northeast Afghanistan. Lapis was highly valued by the Indus Valley Civilisation (3300–1900 BC). Lapis beads have been found at Neolithic burials in Mehrgarh, the Caucasus, and even as far from Afghanistan as Mauritania. It was used in the funeral mask of Tutankhamun (1341–1323 BC).
Jeti-Ögüz Rocks The Jeti-Ögüz Rocks is a geological protected area (nature monument) located in Jeti-Ögüz District of Issyk-Kul Province of Kyrgyzstan. It was established in 1975 with a purpose of conservation of a unique geological formation - sheer cliffs composed of tertiary red conglomerates. The name derives from the rock formation's resemblance to seven bulls and a legend about a khan's unfaithful wife. Another near-by formation is called the 'broken heart'. The rock formation is a well-known landmark in Kyrgyzstan and is seen as a national or regional symbol, and hence is the subject of paintings, songs, and even music videos. The surrounding area is known for its natural environment.