The Romans did it with manpower. We do it with forklifts and foam. Either way, moving marble is a challenge. It is inherently fragile and is highly susceptible to cracking. As with other stone materials, it can withstand tremendous compressive forces, but can break easily if it is allowed to flex. Therefore, when packing marble, it is important to properly cushion it. Too much foam, it will be too hard and not offer any cushioning. Not enough foam, it compresses the foam to the point it is useless.
To ensure easy loading and unloading, we went with a cradle design. This effectively removes any packing expertise for unloading or repacking as it will only fit one way in the crate.The crate was shipped laying down as shown in the final photo. The other photos were taken upright to show the foam cavity design. Laying it down provided a more stable stance and removed the potential tipping hazard.
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