Excerpt: Lapis Lazuli

The souk of Aleppo was a maze of streets winding around the great citadel in the centre of the city. Thousands of shops presented their merchandize from all over the Levant in displays that were a feast for the senses. The Flemish caravanserail was located in the section of the textile merchants. Here brightly colored silks and printed cottons attracted local women, crumpling the fabrics in their hands to test the quality. Merchants praised their wares in Turkish, Kurdish and Arab, but just as easily switched to French or Italian when they spotted a European.
Michael was tempted to stop and examine the fabrics. Gaspar would be delighted to know what was on sale and for how much, but for the moment, Michael had a more pressing business. Following the directions of the quartermaster as best as he could, he made his way to that part of the souk where pigments were sold. Here they were used to dye wool and silk for carpets and cloth. Using them to make oilpaint like the Europeans did was still somewhat of a rarety.
Dozens of shops displayed pigments in a rainbow of colours. It would be hard to make a choice. Michael purchased some earth pigments; ocre, sienna and umber. They were of good quality but not exceptional. There was no finer sienna than that of Italy. It was not was he was looking for.

In a little side street he found what he wanted. A basket full of rich deep blue pigment. Ultramarine, made from the semi precious stone Lapis Lazuli and worth more than gold in Europe. The merchant was well aware of that; the price was not much less than a golden coin, gram for gram. Michael inquired where the merchant had obtained the pigment.
"From Kandahar, monsieur. The very best in the world" the merchant replied.