find a image for near east and the date/time of the image and material used and used for and symbolism
Read widely and take good notes, on both the articles in the first search results and the images in the second ones.
http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy&hl=en&q=ancient+near+east+art+characteristics&aq=f&aqi=g1g-m4&aql=&oq=near+east+art&gs_rfai=&pbx=1&fp=84f34ab5383c7ee9
and
http://www.google.com/images?q=ancient+near+east+art+characteristics&hl=en&prmd=ivb&source=lnms&tbs=isch:1&ei=e8WoTIiSCYO0lQe69by6DA&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&ved=0CA4Q_AU&biw=1176&bih=526