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The ancient 'computer' that simply shouldn't exist - BBC REEL
A hundred and twenty years ago, divers discovered a shipwreck off the island of Antikythera in Greece. What they found changed our understanding of human history.
The mysterious Antikythera Mechanism has captured the imagination of archaeologists, mathematicians, and scientists ever since. Now, using the latest 3D x-ray and modelling technology, experts are unravelling the secrets of what this machine may have been capable of
: Session 1
In 1900, sponge divers off the coast of the tiny Greek island of Antikythera made an astonishing discovery: the wreck 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.
Join us 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 will discuss 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 Two can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYxwn...
ThAs part of an international team, Dr Tony Freeth has been a central figure in an extraordinary voyage of discovery: every new revelation has reinforced a sense of shock about this highly sophisticated ancient Greek astronomical calculating machine. It is one of the true wonders of the ancient world.e Antikythera Mechanism: A Shocking Discovery from Ancient Greece.
Decoding the Heavens: The Antikythera Mechanism by Jo Marchant
Jo Marchant is an award-winning science journalist and author of several popular science books including Decoding the Heavens: Solving the mystery of the world’s first computer and the New York Times bestseller Cure: A journey into the science of mind over body (both shortlisted for the Royal Society science books prize). She has a PhD in genetics, and has worked as a senior editor at New Scientist and at Nature.
In 1901, sponge divers in the Mediterranean recovered several corroded pieces of bronze from an ancient shipwreck near the Greek island of Antikythera. Scholars soon noticed inscriptions on their surfaces, as well as traces of gearwheels, dials and pointers. These fragments were the remains of a mysterious and sophisticated device, dubbed the “Antikythera mechanism”. It turns out to be one of the most impressive items that survives from the ancient world and unique in the historical record, an unexpected treasure that has proved the ancient Greeks were capable of far more than we ever thought, and changed ideas about the origins of our own machines. In this lecture, I’ll tell the story of the mechanism’s discovery and the century-long race to decipher its workings; discuss what it means for the history of technology; and reveal the most recent insights into who built it
