Sodalite was first identified in 1811 from the Ilimaussaq intrusive complex in Greenland and named for its sodium content. It remained a mineralogical curiosity until large ornamental deposits were discovered near Bancroft, Ontario in 1891, after which it became widely used for carving, jewelry, and decorative stone.

Sodalite is a tectosilicate feldspathoid and the namesake of the sodalite mineral group, which also includes hauyne, nosean, and lazurite. It crystallizes in the cubic system and typically forms massive blue material veined with white calcite rather than distinct crystals. Many specimens fluoresce orange under ultraviolet light, and the hackmanite variety shows tenebrescence, temporarily changing color with light exposure.

Because it so closely resembles lapis lazuli, sodalite was long mistaken for and sold as its costlier cousin, and some older lapis lore is now retold about it., After rich deposits were found near Bancroft, Ontario, sodalite earned the name Princess Blue when it was chosen to decorate Marlborough House during a 1901 royal visit., and Modern crystal tradition calls sodalite the Poet's Stone and a Stone of Truth, carried to encourage honesty and clear self-expression.

My mind is clear and my heart is steady. I let go of old fears and rigid thinking, make room for new understanding, and stay faithful to what I know is true.