Welcome back to TimeMachine Tech Report where we bring you the cutting edge from long ago!
Today, we will be taking a little trip back to Hellenistic Greece to examine the incredible Antikythera Mechanism. This mastery of metalwork has been intriguing historians since its discovery, and now we have the exclusive scoop on the function, construction, and context of this not-so-modern marvel.
Its Fantastic Function!
While initial reports on the Antikythera Mechanism’s function were inconclusive, current information hypothesizes that the strange device is the first ever analog computer. The device uses the power of a hand crank to propel a clockwork model of the solar system, computing a moment by moment model of the night sky. Based on what our sources have found out, writings from the period, and our understanding of the Hellenistic conception of the solar system, we here at TimeMachine Tech Report believe that the Antikythera Mechanism likely utilizes seven different hands to display the locations of the five classical planets, the sun, and the moon. A rotating silver and black sphere denotes the phase of the moon at any given time. Additional dials show the date according to the Metonic cycle, the timing of eclipses according to the Saros cycle, and the four year cycle of the panhellenic games. A full rotation of the crank moves the astronomical model forward by about 78 days, giving the user the ability to predict celestial phenomena with a high degree of accuracy. This device would be invaluable for any astronomer and a fitting purchase for any astronomy enthusiast!
Its Calculating Construction!
The incredibly technical and precise construction of the Antikythera Mechanism represents one of the highest achievements of science and technology during the Hellenistic period. In a time before electronic calculators, industrial machining, or even magnifying glasses, the creators of this device managed to construct a working model of the solar system out of bronze, wood, and ingenuity. The Antikythera Mechanism consists of a hypothesized 35 bronze gears of varying sizes and tooth counts, situated around a central 5.1 inch, 223 tooth gear, all inside a wooden case approximately the size of a shoe box. Digital artist Mogi Vicentini created an accurate to life 3-D reconstruction of the mechanism based on the notes of Michael Wright.
The precision necessary to build such a device cannot be overstated. In modern times we take mass machined, interchangeable parts for granted. In the pre-industrial world, constructing 35 individual gears – all exact enough so as to function as we here at TimeMachine Tech Report believe they do is a feat of engineering just as monumental as any temple or statue. The level of engineering necessary is so impressive that, much like the pyramids, conspiracy theories about time travelers and aliens have been developed to explain its existence.
Its Opaque Origins
TimeMachine Tech Report first became aware of this device after it was discovered by sponge divers in 1901 in a shipwreck off the coast of Antikythera, an island near Crete. The mechanism was just one of many other artifacts found at the site, and like most of what was recovered – it was badly damaged. Heavily corroded by seawater, the mechanism had degraded into several large lumps of oxidized fragments. In 1902, Greek state archaeologist Valerois Stais posited that the once overlooked artifact was actually an astronomical clock. His contemporaries found the theory laughably absurd, as no hellenic artifact yet discovered had exhibited the advanced workmanship needed for a complex astronomical clock. However, as our ability to peer into the past has improved thanks to techniques like x-ray tomography and high resolution surface scanning, the true form of the Antikythera Mechanism has been revealed, and Stais has been proved correct.
In Conclusion:
No matter the ambiguity, this stands as a powerful testament to the skill, genius, and ingenuity of the ancient world. Modern individuals tend to think of themselves as smarter than their historical predecessors, but artifacts like the Antikythera Mechanism prove that no matter the era – humanity is genius.
The Author:
Tanner Harmon is a Colgate University Freshman from Whitefish, Montana, hoping to major in Sociology and Economics. Tanner maintains a strong interest in the ingenuity of the ancient world.
