I don't doubt that this chap from 'Archaeoptics' is an expert. But what is he an expert IN? He's presumably an expert technician in scanning all sorts of archaeological artifacts including statues and sculptures - if you see their website.
Your argument is using a false expert witness - the man's not an expert on the rate of decay of rocks, nor is he a conservationist from a museum. I don't think his opinion on its fragility necessarily cuts the mustard I'm afraid. And if it really was so fragile it couldn't take the pressure of a piece of paper and a wax crayon - how could it have been put back in the ground, it would have been condemning the carving to fall off in the next ten minutes, in fact there'd be no point in us arguing about it because it's already lost. In fact how could he have stood by and watched them shovel soil over it if he really believed it was doomed to ruin.
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