These snakes make another reference to the unification of Egypt. The palette is also one of the earliest known specimens to hold the truth about ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic writings. This shows that the Egyptians had some sort of communication that came through this type of writing. The palette was also created to convey the great power of the king and this message is sent through the great symbolic imagery that is depicted on both sides of the palette. The piece is formally constructed to show the Egyptian hierarchy system in which the king himself is the largest one with a large crown and his attendants as smaller in size. The big crown states the divine status of the king, making him the strongest one in the art piece. The attendants by the king's side help him demolish the ruler of Lower Egypt. One such example is the falcon, which is the symbol of Horus, the king's protector who helps him weigh the head of the enemy. The Battle of Issus, on the other hand, shows a great combat between Alexander the Great and the Persian king Darius III. The battle took place somewhere in southwestern Turkey. The mosaic was used as a decorative wall figure which was probably owned by a very wealthy person. The art work shows the two kings calling on their armies to attack each other. The battle that is depicted is shown right before the moment that each army would strike at each other. All of the soldiers on their horseback are ready to attack and are waiting for their leader's command. The battle lasted a long time, but as a result, Alexander the Great won this battle, but it took a great deal of bloodshed. .
The use of space and composition in both art works are two of the most important observing details. The sculptor who made the Palette of Narmer used the arrangement and space of the figures in an orderly way. The story is subdivided by the use of registers, which also helps set the ground for the characters.
