antikythera

Antikythera is a small Greek island in the southern Aegean Sea. It is best known for the Antikythera mechanism, an ancient device recovered from a shipwreck off the island’s coast in 1901. The wreck dates to the late Hellenistic period, roughly the 2nd to 1st century BCE, and yielded a bronze geared mechanism inside a wooden case, along with other artefacts.

The Antikythera mechanism is considered the oldest known example of an analogue computer. It consisted of a complex arrangement of interlocking gears and dials designed to model astronomical cycles. The device could track the positions of the Sun and Moon, display lunar phases, and predict eclipses. It also incorporated calendrical and astronomical cycles, most notably the Metonic cycle of 19 years, and likely related cycles used to forecast celestial events and possibly planetary motions. The level of mechanical sophistication demonstrated by the surviving fragments indicates a highly advanced understanding of gear technology for the era.

Discovery and research: The device was first identified as a potential machine by Valerios Stais in 1902. In the decades since, researchers have reconstructed and imaged the mechanism using X-ray tomography and 3D modelling, revealing a more complete and intricate gear train than earlier expectations. These studies have established the Antikythera mechanism as a remarkable example of Hellenistic engineering and a key source for the history of science and technology.

Antikythera today remains a sparsely populated Greek island, with the wreck and its artefacts preserved in museums. The mechanism’s significance continues to influence understanding of ancient science and ancient technology.