Ottawa and New York -- photograph of the crack in the limestone ossuary clearly shows a broad recent repair or "fill" that must have been carried out prior to shipping. The surface next to the lower repair has been damaged in a way that suggests that the fill material was too hard (i.e. harder than the stone) which is an absolute "no-no."

This is a most interesting case which could be related to simple expansion and contraction of the stone with changing environments. It really underlines the importance of getting qualified conservators involved before you start moving valuable heritage resources around the world!

heritage conservation consultant,