Ihave a few questions about nike of samothrace. when they found pieces they believed to be pieces of the samothrace in 2013, how did they determine for sure that they indeed belonged to the sculpture? how many different types of marble were used for the samothrace? why did the artist choose different marble? why do scholars think the nike monument was so devastated?

Question #1. The event that happened to this sculpture is that it is much plainer on this side, as the artist must have thought it was not worthwhile expending so much effort on a side rarely seen by onlookers. The back of the statue is quite plain, for the same reason. A number of fragments from the missing parts of the statue are very helpful clues in recreating the monument.

Question #2. Samothrace has / is made from 
Parian marble for the statue and gray Rhodian marble for the boat and base.

Question #3. The base of the statue was oriented at an oblique angle so that the Nike faced northeastward into the heart of the Sanctuary

River valleys were good places for hunting and fishing.