Ancient Greeks had a computer: Antikythera

Rusted mass the mechanism became underwater

The Antikythera mechanism (AN-tih-kih-THEER-ə) is an ancient Greek hand-powered orrery, described as the "oldest example of an analogue computer" [Note 1], used to predict astronomical positions and eclipses decades in advance. This artifact was among wreckage retrieved from a shipwreck off the coast of the Greek island of Antikythera in 1901. More

1. Efstathiou, Kyriakos; Efstathiou, Marianna (9/1/18). "Celestial Gearbox: Oldest Known Computer is a Mechanism Designed to Calculate the Location of the Sun, Moon, and Planets." Mechanical Engineering. 140 (9): 31–35.

What is it and what does it do?

Secrets of the Antikythera Mechanism: Session 1

(Computer History Museum, May 22, 2015, recorded May 13, 2015) In 1900, sponge divers off the coast of the tiny Greek island of Antikythera made an astonishing discovery: the wreckage of an ancient Roman ship lay 200 feet beneath the water, its dazzling cargo spread out over the ocean floor.

Among the life-size statues and amphorae was an encrusted piece of metal, which after nearly a century of investigation, is finally revealing its secrets. Called the Antikythera Mechanism, study has shown that this improbably preserved object is actually an ancient Greek astronomical computer of a technical sophistication not seen until the clock making traditions of Medieval Europe — 1,500 years after the mechanism is believed to have been made (about 200 BC).

Recent advances in computer imaging as well as painstaking scholarship have finally elucidated nearly all details of the mechanism. Watch as we dive into the mysterious history of the Antikythera Mechanism, guided by several world experts:

• Jonathan Knowles, from Autodesk, discusses the use of digital tools to recreate historical objects;
• Michael Wright, former curator of mechanical engineering at the Science Museum in London, describes the structure and recreation of the Mechanism at University College London and brought a model of the device to the Museum for audience members to explore;
• Professor Nicolaos Alexopoulos presents on the sociology, engineering, and science of ancient Greece;
• Marine archaeologist Brendan Foley describes his 2014 diving expedition to the original Antikythera wreck site; and, finally,
• Tatjana Dzambazova discusses her projects at Autodesk for the digital preservation and dissemination of cultural heritage.

The host of this event is Museum Trustee Michael Hawley. Secrets of the Antikythera Mechanism: Session 2 can be viewed here.