A ballistic resistant panel, said panel comprising: an outwardly facing ceramic layer having an outer facing surface and an inner facing surface; a first fibrous layer comprising a network of a first type of high tenacity fibers and having an outer facing surface and an inner facing surface, said outer facing surface of said first fibrous layer being adjacent to said inner facing surface of said ceramic layer; and a second fibrous layer comprising a network of a second type of high tenacity fibers and having an outer facing surface and inner facing surface, said outer facing surface of said second fibrous layer being adjacent to said inner facing surface of said first fibrous layer; said first type of high tenacity fibers having a composition different from the composition of said second type of high tenacity fibers; said first fibrous layer being stiffer than said second fibrous layer; wherein said first fibrous layer comprises fibers selected from the group consisting of high molecular weight polyethylene fibers and aramid fibers, and said second fibrous layer comprises fibers selected from the group consisting of high molecular weight polyethylene fibers and aramid fibers; and wherein said high molecular weight polyethylene has a weight average molecular weight of at least 150,000; and wherein said high tenacity fibers have a tenacity equal to or greater than about 7g/d; wherein said panel has a ballistic resistance which is substantially equivalent to or higher than the ballistic resistance of a comparable ceramic panel construction that has only a single fibrous layer comprising the same type of high tenacity fibers as said first or second type of high tenacity fibers, which single fibrous layer has an areal density substantially the same as the combined areal density of said first fibrous layer and said second fibrous layer. an outwardly facing ceramic layer having an outer facing surface and an inner facing surface; a first fibrous layer comprising a network of a first type of high tenacity fibers and having an outer facing surface and an inner facing surface, said outer facing surface of said first fibrous layer being adjacent to said inner facing surface of said ceramic layer; and a second fibrous layer comprising a network of a second type of high tenacity fibers and having an outer facing surface and inner facing surface, said outer facing surface of said second fibrous layer being adjacent to said inner facing surface of said first fibrous layer; said first type of high tenacity fibers having a composition different from the composition of said second type of high tenacity fibers; said first fibrous layer being stiffer than said second fibrous layer; wherein said first fibrous layer comprises fibers selected from the group consisting of high molecular weight polyethylene fibers and aramid fibers, and said second fibrous layer comprises fibers selected from the group consisting of high molecular weight polyethylene fibers and aramid fibers; and wherein said high molecular weight polyethylene has a weight average molecular weight of at least 150,000; and wherein said high tenacity fibers have a tenacity equal to or greater than about 7g/d; wherein said panel has a ballistic resistance which is substantially equivalent to or higher than the ballistic resistance of a comparable ceramic panel construction that has only a single fibrous layer comprising the same type of high tenacity fibers as said first or second type of high tenacity fibers, which single fibrous layer has an areal density substantially the same as the combined areal density of said first fibrous layer and said second fibrous layer.