sedimentary rock
"Sedimentary rocks can be read like a book. Each layer of sedimentary rock is like a chapter in the history of the earth. Remember that sedimentary rocks are always deposited from oldest to youngest, and unless some incredible earth movements (faults and folds) have deformed the sediments, the oldest layer is always going to be on the bottom and the youngest layer is always going to be on the top. "
There are layers of different rock types that are typically deposited vertically over time, like the layers in a cake.

METAMIA is a free database of analogy and metaphor. Anyone can contribute or search. The subject matter can be anything. Science is popular, but poetry is encouraged. The goal is to integrate our fluid muses with the stark literalism of a relational database. Metamia is like a girdle for your muses, a cognitive girdle.