What does “Zeitstrahl” mean in German?

In the clip, archaeologists “nutzen diese Wracks wie einen Zeitstrahl” — they read sunken ships like a timeline to map when ports grew and faded. A Zeitstrahl is a straight line with dates on it, the picture you draw to show what happened, and when. The word puts Zeit (time) next to Strahl (a ray or beam), so events feel laid out in one clear, ordered line you can follow.

Spoken line: “Archäologen nutzen diese Wracks wie einen Zeitstrahl, Aufschwung und Niedergang von Häfen zu kartieren” — “Archaeologists use these wrecks like a timeline, to map the rise and fall of ports.” Strahl on its own means a ray or beam (think of a beam of light). Glued to Zeit, it becomes the line you imagine running through history. Plain examples: - “Auf dem Zeitstrahl siehst du, wann jeder König regierte.” — On the timeline you see when each king ruled. - “Wir ordnen die Ereignisse auf einem Zeitstrahl.” — We put the events in order on a timeline. - “Stell dir sein Leben als Zeitstrahl vor.” — Picture his life as a timeline. Usage note: Germans often use Zeitstrahl when they want a vivid image of things happening in clear order. You will also see it in schoolbooks and museums, where a timeline runs along a wall or across a page.