As technologist, I am always fascinated by ancient devices, especially those that demonstrate that the people of the past were more sophisticated than our histories allow. The Antikythera device is one such piece of historical jetsam, a machine so sophisticated we’re still trying to determine all of the functions it was capable of. Containing planetary gearing and of sophisticated manufacture, it hints as to how ancient man could determine longitude and navigate with great accuracy.
Scientists are set to announce the findings of new research into this complex geared device, believed to be an astronomical calculator. Imaging and X-ray technologies are unraveling many of the Mechanism’s remaining mysteries.
Together, some 85 fragments reveal a highly sophisticated mechanism with about 30 geared wheels and plates, apparently to calculate the time and positions of various planetary, solar, and lunar events.
Of course, historians insist that there could have only been one of these, but IMNSHO that’s ridiculous. If there was one, there had to be more. Nobody makes only one of something so functional, and the odds of us finding the only one in existence is astronomical (no pun intended).
This would be an example of OOPArt for those who are interested. Google also provides some interesting OOPArt links
Just wondering if the thing isn’t really a number of relatively more simple devices that ended up together. Like a case of cheap alarm clocks?
Remember that this thing is brass and apparently made in a time period when finely working brass wasn’t all that revolutionary. Making a bunch of gears seems to be unusual though. Unless it really is a case of alarm clocks.
When I was a youngster I saw a cartoon. A bunch of heavy construction machines all around an area where a huge pyramid is being built. “CHEOPS Construction Company” on the side of one. One Egyptian says to the other: “And when we’re done, we’ll destroy all of this equipment and let people wonder how we did this.”
(AARGH)
Regards,
Stu.
interesting
Well, prior to the discovery of this device historians maintained that planetary gearing wasn’t invented until the 18th century. This is the real deal, a mechanical computer from the past.
There may only have been one. Because of the craftsmanship involved, it is better to think of this as a prototype than as a potentially manufactured product. There might have been only one because:
it was a secret;
it was a state secret;
it was considered blasphemous;
it was made as a sideline or hobby;
the person who understood and made it died; or
nobody appreciated it.
Or lots of other reasons, I’m sure.
See the movie Longitude. [fixed link]
Oh great, another innovative product that Microsoft will try to copy.
Oh great, another innovative product that Microsoft will try to copy.
Nah, they’ll just spend a couple of million $ trying to sue its inventor for breach of copyright – didn’t you know that Windows is full of planetary gears?
Oh great, another innovative product that Microsoft will try to copy.
Nah, they’ll just spend a couple of million $ trying to sue its inventor for breach of copyright – didn’t you know that Windows is full of lots of planetary gears?
it hints as to how ancient man could determine longitude and navigate with great accuracy.
They “could”. So it doesn’t mean they “did”…
5,
There is evidence the device was repaired, not something that happens to one-off secret prototypes. Also, what are the odds that we found the only one?
8,
There is ample proof that ancient man could accurately determine longitude, the Piri Reis Map is only one example. It is a known enigma that ancient maps get more accurate the older they are. Curious, huh?
Maybe it didn’t work as intended and they couldn’t be bothered to return it to China for a refund.
More evidence of why the dark ages where soo dark, and Galileo soo right. The Greeks were not incumbered by the pope. That’s what happens when you get the attitude “We are right, they are wrong”. We still struggle with the neo cons and this same hauty attitude.
http://www.greece.org/poseidon/work/argonautika/cosmo9.html
http://www.thebigview.com/spacetime/universe.html
And the ancient christians wiped out them becuase they deemed them satanic?
What proof do they have that it might have been used for calculating celestial anything? Did they translate the script on it? I have a very poor opinion of archeological work sometimes. It seems that they dig until they find something and then make up stories to explain how important what they found is. I suppose there must be more proof that the article doesn’t cover.
I do like the phrase that accompanies a poor picture in the article. “The right side clearly shows how the reflectance imaging software brings out surface details.” At my house, we call reflectance imaging a flash.
THe device’s functionality is not in question, it is how many different functions the device has that scientists are trying to determine. Also, it was found by pearl divers in 1902 and languised in a museum for years before a later examination brought up questions that had to be addressed.
Can someone direct me to a translated copy of the actual engraved script?
Wht is it so hard to find the obvious?