LAYERS IN TIME

שכבות בזמן

An Archaeological Journey Through Israel | Student Academic Project

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Project Type: Academic / Student Brief
Discipline: Editorial Design, Typography, Layout Systems, Book Design
Partner / Sponsor Concept: Israel Antiquities Authority (רשות העתיקות)
Tools Used: Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop

The Brief:

Select an educational/cultural theme and create a multi-page publication sponsored by an official institutional body. The objective was to translate a complex historical subject into an engaging, cohesive editorial journey with a distinct visual metaphor carried across every page.

THE CONCEPT: STRATIGRAPHY & LAYERS IN TIME

In archaeology, history isn't linear—it is stratified. Every era rests physically on top of the one before it, forming geological and cultural "strata" in the earth.

The visual concept, "Layers in Time," mirrors this physical excavation process:

Organic Strata Framing: Instead of standard rectangular photo boxes, imagery is cut into fluid, wavy horizontal strata that overlap and interlock across spreads.
Typographic Stratigraphy: The project's main title (שכבות בזמן) is custom-crafted to look like an archaeological soil cross-section, with individual letterforms dissected into layers of limestone, sandstone, clay, and terracotta.
Earthy, Mineral Palette: A natural color system derived from excavation sites—warm terracotta, ochre, desert sand, slate gray, and Mediterranean azure.

EDITORIAL STRUCTURE & CHRONOLOGY

The booklet guides the reader through Israel's rich archaeological record across major historical epochs:

The Beginning (בראשית): Prehistory, flint tools, and the emergence of early Canaanite city-states (1,000,000 BCE – 1,200 BCE).
Kings & Prophets (קיסרים ונביאים): Fortresses, ancient inscriptions, and temples of the First Temple Period (1,200 BCE – 586 BCE).
The Journey Continues (המסע נמשך): Second Temple Jerusalem, the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran, and Roman/Early Byzantine life (324 BCE – 538 CE).
Shifting Faiths & Empires (מעברי שלטון ודת): Byzantine churches, early Islamic mosques, and Crusader fortresses documenting the transition of rulers and beliefs (324 CE – 1291 CE).

DESIGN DETAILS & SYSTEM

Custom Masthead: Hand-crafted typographic title with stratified texture.
Dynamic Photo Masking: Curated archival photography masked into undulating sediment layers that visually "unearth" ancient artifacts, mosaics, and architecture.
Information Architecture: Clean multi-column Hebrew typography paired with bold historical date callouts and bilingual institutional branding for the Israel Antiquities Authority.