The Antikythera Mechanism

The Antikythera Mechanism is interesting. It is one “of the most complex scientific object[s] that has been preserved from antiquity” (Roumeliotis). It is more sophisticated than a grandfather clock. Clocks are descendants of the Antikythera Mechanism. It bears a scary resemblance to a laptop computer. “… a shoebox-size lump of bronze, which appeared to have a wooden exterior (Seabrook). “In size, it is startlingly similar to a laptop computer, though a bit thicker (Krystek). It synchronizes lunar months with solar days, the Synodic, Sidereal and Draconitic months as well as the Calippic Cycle and the Metonic Cycle. It revolutionizes our view of the Greeks. Proves they were more technically advanced. If they did not fall, we would have been where we are now a long time ago. “… it is a bit frightening to know that just before the fall of their great civilization the ancient Greeks had come so close to our age, not only in their thought, but also in their scientific technology (Seabrook).

It is more sophisticated than a grandfather clock. Clocks are descendants of the Antikythera Mechanism. Clocks used to be much fancier and happened to tell the time of day. “[The Mechanism] calculated and illustrated astronomical information” (Wilford). It was simplified to the point where it tells only time. “… the clock did not evolve from the simple to the complex” (Roumeliotis). “In size, it is startlingly similar to a laptop computer, though a bit thicker (Krystek). Our laptops can do what the Antikythera Mechanism did, but the Mechanism shows “an unexpected degree of technical sophistication for the period. … “The instrument is technically more complex than any known for at least a millennium afterward” (Wilford).

It synchronizes lunar months with solar days, the Synodic, Sidereal and Draconitic months and the Calippic Cycle and Metonic Cycle. “The sidereal month is the time the Moon takes to complete one full revolution around the Earth. The Synodic month, or lunar month, is longer than the sidereal month because the Earth is constantly moving along its orbit about the Sun, the Moon must travel slightly more than 360° to get from one new moon to the next” (The Sidereal and Synodic Months). “The rising point of the moon changes from day to day in a very analogous way, marking out a sweep from north to south and back again, except that it takes only one month to accomplish one complete cycle” (Hopewell Astronomy). “The [Calippic] cycle … is a period of 76 years, “… or 235 Synodic … months” (Roumeliotis). It is four times longer minus one day than the Metonic Cycle” (The Sidereal and Synodic Months).

It revolutionizes our view of the Greeks. It proves they were more technically advanced. “… scientists … are hailing the device as remarkably advanced for its time. … Physical evidence of ancient technology is rare…” (Jaffe). They understood gearing. “Gearing was clearly known to the Greeks. … The teeth have been made with just the same angle … and size. (Roumeliotis). They had the famed Tower of Winds, “the great central clock of ancient Athens” (Seabrook). If the Greeks did not fall, we would have been where we are now a long time ago. “In size, it is startlingly similar to a laptop computer, though a bit thicker (Krystek). If the Muslims did not lose their writings, we would have computers far more advanced right now. We had things like the Antikythera Mechanism during the Renaissance, but “[n]othing like this instrument is preserved elsewhere. Nothing comparable to it is known” (Roumeliotis).

The Antikythera Mechanism is interesting. It is more sophisticated than a pocket watch. Clocks are descendants of the Antikythera Mechanism. It bears a scary resemblance to a laptop. It synchronizes lunar months with solar days, the Synodic, Sidereal and Draconitic months and the Calippic Cycle and the Metonic Cycle. The Mechanism revolutionizes our view of the Greeks. Proves they were more technically advanced. If they did not fall, they would have been where we are now a long time ago, but I also think it interesting that “we're reluctant to share our glory with previous civilizations” (Seabrook).