The Antikythera mechanism, discovered in a shipwreck off the Greek island of Antikythera in 1901, is considered the world's oldest known analog computer, dating back to the 2nd century BC.
Recent X-ray imaging and analysis, utilizing statistical modeling techniques like Bayesian methods developed for detecting gravitational waves, revealed that one of the mechanism's rings likely had 354 or 355 regularly spaced holes, corresponding to the days in a Greek lunar calendar, suggesting it followed a lunar calendar instead of the Julian solar calendar.
The precision and detail of the mechanism's design, with an average radial variation of only 0.028 mm in positioning the holes, indicate advanced measurement techniques and sophisticated craftsmanship by ancient Greek artisans, providing insight into the advanced knowledge and craftsmanship of ancient Greek civilization in tracking the heavens nearly two millennia ago.
The Antikythera Mechanism had intricate inscriptions, some as small as a millimeter, with names of months, zodiac signs, and a total of 3400 deciphered signs.
The Antikythera shipwreck is considered one of the richest ancient wrecks in Greece, yielding numerous artifacts, including the Antikythera mechanism.
Recent investigations by Swiss archaeologists from the Swiss School of Archaeology in Greece (Esag) have uncovered a significant part of the shipwreck, confirming the existence of a second wooden ship around 200 meters away, both dating back to the 1st century BC.
The 2024 expedition utilized advanced techniques like ROVs and specialized scanners, revealing the complexity of the site, including the original components and protective coating of the ships in excellent condition. Initial analysis suggests the ships were likely built using the "Shell First" method, with planks assembled before frames, different from modern shipbuilding practices.
Sources: Newsweek, Futurism, PopSci, Economic Times, La Vanguardia, LiveScience, Olhar Digital, Diario Uno, Yahoo News, Physics World, Der Standard, CNN Indonesia, ScienceAlert, NewsYou, Koninkrijksrelaties, Ancient Origins, SwissInfo, Nau
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.
