The Antikythera Mechanism

The Antikythera Mechanism is an ancient Greek hand-powered device, widely considered the world’s first analog computer and orrery (a mechanical model of the solar system). It was designed to predict and display astronomical phenomena, including the positions of the Sun, Moon, and known planets, as well as to forecast solar and lunar eclipses, track the phases and age of the Moon, and follow the cycles of ancient athletic games such as the Olympiad.

The mechanism was discovered in 1901 by sponge divers investigating a Roman-era shipwreck off the coast of the Greek island of Antikythera. The shipwreck itself dates to between 60 and 70 BCE, but the device may have been constructed as early as the late 2nd century BCE (around 205–60 BCE).

The Antikythera Mechanism could:

• Predict the positions of the Sun, Moon, and planets for any chosen date in the past or future.

• Calculate the timing of solar and lunar eclipses using complex cycles such as the Saros and Metonic cycles.

• Track lunar phases and the age of the Moon.

• Display the dates of major athletic competitions, like the ancient Olympic Games.

• Indicate the heliacal risings and settings of prominent stars and constellations.

The device was housed in a wooden box with bronze gears and dials, and it was operated by turning a hand crank. Its complexity and precision are unmatched by any other known artifact from antiquity, and it incorporates knowledge from both Babylonian and Greek astronomy. The mechanism’s fragments, now totaling 82, are preserved at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens.

In summary, the Antikythera Mechanism is a remarkable testament to ancient Greek engineering, serving as a sophisticated astronomical calculator and predictive tool over two millennia ago. No other ancient devices like the Antikythera Mechanism -- sometimes called the “Antikythera Cosmos” -- have ever been discovered. The Antikythera Mechanism remains unique; it is the only known example of such a sophisticated ancient Greek analog computer or astronomical calculator.