The Antikythera Mechanism was discovered around 1900 in a shipwreck off the Greek island, Antikythera. It was found in a wooden box, and consisted of badly corroded bronze parts, most notably 82 distinct pieces, thirty of which appeared to be gears. The largest gear (shown at left) was 140 mm in diameter.
The estimated age of the mechanism is about 2200 years old, thought to have been constructed around 100-200 BC!!! That's even more impressive when you think about the first European clockworks of comparable complexity appeared around 1400 AD.
The diagram on the left was developed with the aid of x-ray analysis and purports to show that the mechanism was used to predict astronomical positions and eclipses.
A model of the mechanism was constructed in recent years (shown at bottom).
It's incredible to think that ancient cultures had such an advanced technology. How many other devices remain lost to history? And, of course, what if this mechanism is not of earthly origin?
The estimated age of the mechanism is about 2200 years old, thought to have been constructed around 100-200 BC!!! That's even more impressive when you think about the first European clockworks of comparable complexity appeared around 1400 AD.
The diagram on the left was developed with the aid of x-ray analysis and purports to show that the mechanism was used to predict astronomical positions and eclipses.
A model of the mechanism was constructed in recent years (shown at bottom).
It's incredible to think that ancient cultures had such an advanced technology. How many other devices remain lost to history? And, of course, what if this mechanism is not of earthly origin?
