The Antikythera Mechanism is a cultural treasure that has engrossed scholars across many disciplines. Let’s “unlock’ the Cosmos!
From the Bottom of the Sea to the Museum
One hundred and ten years ago, Antikythera, one small Aegean Island, started one of the most important archaeological “journeys” of the 20th century.
A group of sponge divers, with scuba gear, under extremely difficult and dangerous conditions, would literally bring to the surface one rare, or rather, unique finds that will challenge archaeologists and scientists for over a century.
The leader of the divers, Captain Dimitrios Kontos and his men, even archaeologists who were with them did not know it, but along with the rest of the ancient objects that they had found there were corroded parts of a mechanism technologically advanced.
For months after its withdrawal, the Antikythera Mechanism, as finally named this valuable find, it was forgotten in a box at the Archaeological Museum of Athens, without being cleaned or maintained (Marchant 2009, 50), suffering additional damage because of oxygen (Marchant 2009, 50-51).
The mechanism was made of bronze, consisting of four wheels, remnants of other wheels, extremely small saws teeth at the edges, in the shape of a triangle, a pin made of wood, gears with teeth, carved concentric circles, scales, pointers and a ring.
The Antikythera Mechanism was (and continues to be) the only one construction of such complexity that has reached to the present day while also an important fact its size, it is something which required significant experience and ability.
The Antikythera Mechanism is considered one of the first computer systems. It is a clockwork mechanism with dozens of high-precision gears, which rotate around many axes, as in mechanical clocks. The most accepted theory about its operation is that it was an analog computer designed to calculate the motions of celestial bodies. It is estimated that it was built around 87 BC. by the Rhodian astronomer Gemino.
The discovered fragments made up just one-third of a larger device: a highly-sophisticated hand-powered gearbox capable of accurately predicting the motions of the five planets known to the ancient Greeks, as well as the sun, the phases of the moon and the solar and lunar eclipses — displaying them all relative to the timings of ancient events such as the Olympic Games.
Yet despite years of painstaking research and debate, scientists were never able to fully replicate the mechanism that drove the astonishing device, or the calculations used in its design, from the battered and corroded brass fragments discovered in the wreck.
But now researchers at University College London say they have fully recreated the design of the device, from the ancient calculations used to create it, and are now putting together their own contraption to see if their design works.
Digital recreation of the mechanism (Image credit: Tony Freeth/UCL).
The computer model has been made, the researchers want to make physical versions, first using modern techniques so they can check that the device works, and then employing the techniques that could have been used by the ancient Greeks.
“There’s no evidence that the ancient Greeks were able to build something like this. It really is a mystery,” said Wojcik. “The only way to test if they could is to try to build it the ancient Greek way.”
"There's no evidence that the ancient Greeks were able to build something like this. It really is a mystery," said Wojcik. "The only way to test if they could is to try to build it the ancient Greek way."
Mysteries also remain as to whether the ancient Greeks used similar techniques to make other, yet-to-be-discovered, devices or whether copies of the Antikythera mechanism are waiting to be found.
“It’s a bit like having a TARDIS appear in the Stone Age,” said Wojcik, referring to Doctor Who’s time-traveling spacecraft.
This marvel of the ancient world is being exhibited at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens, plan your visit here.
Special thanks: Ben Turner, Live Science
George Paraschakis, Engineer, University of the Aegean