Compare and contrast the functions and themes of art in the Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations. Analyze the cultural and societal reasons for the differences and similarities between them. 

What will be an ideal response?

The art of Mesopotamia consisted of sculpture and architecture. Art forms employed stylized animal sculptures of limestone, bronze figures, and massive brick structures called ziggurats. Mesopotamia's history was marked by continual warfare and conquests, and a major goal of architecture was the erection of citadels to ensure the safety of temples and palaces. Egypt had less political turmoil and the principal message of their art was continuity to express a span of time reaching back into the past and forward to the future. Massive limestone structures, the pyramids, the Great Sphinx, and tombs are characteristic of Egyptian art, conveying the essence of stability, order, and endurance. Egyptian civilization was characterized by the power of the pharaoh, and much of the art was devoted to demonstrating the power and sacredness of the king.