
The Curse of the Bahia Emerald, a Giant Green Rock That Ruins Lives (2017) - pmcpinto
https://www.wired.com/2017/03/curse-bahia-emerald-giant-green-rock-wreaks-havoc-ruins-lives/
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speeder
For those wondering about why Brazil claims to own the Emerald: in Brazil all
minerals are literally property or government, to open a mine you need to
lease the land and jump through lots of hoops and red tape. If you just go,
dig something up and try to sell, even if it was literally in your backyard,
Brazilian government considers it theft of its property.

EDIT: went looking for news on this... found out in 2017 they found another
one in the same region, this time they did it legally (asked the govenrment to
come and do all paperwork), and seemly the "second" Bahia Emerald has a legal
owner.

Also it is conveniently shaped like a obelisk or something, the owner said he
plans in renting it to museums around the world...

[https://s04.video.glbimg.com/x720/5886155.jpg](https://s04.video.glbimg.com/x720/5886155.jpg)

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quirkot
I don't think it's polite to photograph a giant emerald when it's in the
shower.

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nimbius
I was really hoping for some more legitimate "cursed rocks" in history.
Generally cursed gems and such are considered cursed for a reason:

Arsenopyrite, if heated, releases arsenic. it was popular to coat spears in
the dust in the past.

Chalcanthite will kill you if its introduced into a water supply.

Torbernite and Cinnabar are also lethal if heated thanks to Radon and Mercury.

its also worth noting that powdering or ingesting these rocks, as was pretty
common up to the victorian era, will absolutely send you to the grave in
agony.

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okmokmz
>Generally cursed gems and such are considered cursed for a reason

Even if the gems themselves weren't inherently dangerous, were some not
considered cursed due to their value/rarity causing people to kill each other
for them?

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leoc
There was an FT article on the Koh-i-Noor recently:
[https://www.ft.com/content/0f17f436-5089-11e7-bfb8-997009366...](https://www.ft.com/content/0f17f436-5089-11e7-bfb8-997009366969)
The British royal family never gives it to a man to wear, just in case.

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lolc
A rock that ruins lives? Haha, the title got it the wrong way around:
Personalities liable to ruin their lives are attracted by it.

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specializeded
This was the link that got me back into reading long form journalism regularly
again, it’s more movie than article.

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thecouve
Slightly off topic, but does anyone know the artist of the article? Loved the
graphics.

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tecleandor
[https://www.mcdonaghillustration.com/](https://www.mcdonaghillustration.com/)

[https://create.adobe.com/2015/12/11/a_fine_line_the_illustra...](https://create.adobe.com/2015/12/11/a_fine_line_the_illustrations_of_tim_mcdonagh.html)

