Antikythera Mechanism

The Antikythera Mechanism is an ancient Greek device often called the first analog computer. Found in a shipwreck, its sophisticated engineering wasn’t matched until medieval times.

The Discovery

According to documented research:

In 1901, sponge divers found a Roman shipwreck off Antikythera, Greece:

• Among the artifacts was a corroded bronze device
• It appeared to be a complex clockwork mechanism
• Dating to approximately 100 BCE
• Its purpose wasn’t understood for decades

What It Is

The Antikythera Mechanism is:

• A hand-powered orrery (mechanical model of the solar system)
• Consisting of at least 30 bronze gears
• Capable of predicting astronomical positions
• Able to predict eclipses decades in advance
• Also tracked the Olympic Games cycle

The Technology

The mechanism demonstrates:

• Sophisticated gear technology
• Knowledge of astronomical cycles
• Mathematical precision
• Engineering skill
• Craftsmanship ahead of its time

Functions

The device could:

• Predict positions of the Sun and Moon
• Track the zodiac
• Predict lunar and solar eclipses
• Follow the Metonic cycle (19 years)
• Possibly track planetary positions
• Calculate the Olympic Games schedule

Why It’s Remarkable

Nothing similar exists for another 1,000 years:

• Medieval Islamic and European astronomical devices are simpler
• The level of gear technology is extraordinary
• It suggests lost knowledge
• Only fragments survive

Who Built It?

Possible creators:

• The school of Archimedes
• Astronomers from Rhodes (Hipparchus or Posidonius)
• Unknown Greek craftsmen
• The exact origin is debated

Modern Understanding

X-ray and CT scanning revealed:

• More gears than initially visible
• Inscriptions explaining functions
• Sophisticated astronomical models
• A user manual inscribed on the device

Implications

The mechanism suggests:

• Ancient Greek technology was more advanced than thought
• Knowledge was lost after Rome’s fall
• Complex devices existed but didn’t survive
• Our view of ancient capability needs revision

Not Aliens

Despite some claims:

• The mechanism is clearly human-made
• It uses known Greek astronomical knowledge
• The engineering, while remarkable, is comprehensible
• It represents the peak of Greek technology, not extraterrestrial intervention

Legacy

The Antikythera Mechanism:

• Is displayed at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens
• Has inspired modern reconstructions
• Changed understanding of ancient technology
• Remains one of archaeology’s greatest finds

Sources

• Antikythera mechanism - Wikipedia