Art history - compare and contrast - Essay Example

and Khafre’s Pyramid bear much similarity in terms of form and construction, they are actually quite different in terms of the function and context in which they were constructed. A major similarity between the Nanna Ziggurat and Khafre’s Pyramid lies in the fact that they are basically large pyramid structures. The Nanna Ziggurat has a stepped pyramid form with a rectangular base of 205 feet by 141 feet and rising an imposing 70 feet high. It was constructed of mud bricks and bore three staircases that all led to an entrance at the top.

Its platform walls sloped outwards and it is thought that the Sumerian architects behind the idea designed it this way to prevent erosion of the pavement that was also constructed of mud bricks (Stokstad and Cothren 36). Khafre’s Pyramid was a large construction, with a square base of about 704 feet and rising to about 471 feet. It had a slant height of about 568 feet at an angle of 53°. This is of particular note since the architects had to get each angle and length measurement correctly for each stone to fit properly.

The building blocks themselves were cut out of stone and weighed about 2.5 tons each. While it would have been quite difficult to raise the stones to the pyramid’s height, the Egyptians adeptly used roller logs to place each piece in its place (Stokstad and Cothren 57). The other similarity between the two monuments is that they were both constructed during periods of great influence and civilization among the peoples of each kingdom. The people of the Old Egyptian Kingdom had developed systems of writing and schools, architecture, farming, labor practice and law and Khafre’s Pyramid was built during a period of social and political stability and prosperity.

The kingdom’s Kings at the time were deemed half-gods who were mummified in the pyramids after death. In a similar fashion, the Sumerians had developed farming practice, writing, medicine, sailing, governance and religion. Although the