Marvellous though it is, it is better to describe the Antikythera mechanism as a calculator rather than a computer. The boundary is a bit nebulous, but usually a computer can do many different tasks that can be changed under control of a program, A calculator performs fixed tasks - perhaps many different, but fixed, tasks. For anyone interested in how it could have been built, there is set of wonderful videos showing a replica being created with tools that were available 2000 years ago https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML4tw_UzqZE&list=PLZioPDnFPNsHnyxfygxA0to4RXv4_jDU2
Can't wait to see the kind of classical secrets that AI will unlock for us! Especially from Pompeii, which is my single favorite archeological site. Very cool article.
I love the nexus of history and technology - a lot of cool resources for archeological sites as well have been invented that allow us to see things in a whole new level.
He died possibly but designed it. I can't remember where I saw or heard it and the dates line up that there was either a shipwreck or Archimedes helped Hipparcus build it before he died. They did find the makings of in Archimedes writings. I've always been fascinated by the machine.
Marvellous though it is, it is better to describe the Antikythera mechanism as a calculator rather than a computer. The boundary is a bit nebulous, but usually a computer can do many different tasks that can be changed under control of a program, A calculator performs fixed tasks - perhaps many different, but fixed, tasks. For anyone interested in how it could have been built, there is set of wonderful videos showing a replica being created with tools that were available 2000 years ago https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML4tw_UzqZE&list=PLZioPDnFPNsHnyxfygxA0to4RXv4_jDU2
Fully agree, a computer is freely programmable, while in this case it is a mechanism constructed for a fixed task, though complicated it is.
Can't wait to see the kind of classical secrets that AI will unlock for us! Especially from Pompeii, which is my single favorite archeological site. Very cool article.
I love the nexus of history and technology - a lot of cool resources for archeological sites as well have been invented that allow us to see things in a whole new level.
Anya, you should definitely check out my articles about the history of technology: https://hothistory.substack.com/t/technology
I've got articles on Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Alexander Bell, as well as the history of famous luxury cars. I think you'll love it!
Dense, but Truly Fascinating.
Would love to know the details of how the metal casings were calibrated and executed.
It looks so precise.
Did Germans live amongst the Greeks?
Teasing….but serious question of how they cast such precision instruments.
Thanks for sharing.
Brian
I'm always awed by their precision in technology. We had a blast in the museum of ancient Greek invention in Crete... amazing!
It was an astrolabe designed by Archimedes and made by Hipparchus.
https://greekreporter.com/2023/12/17/antikythera-mechanism-archimedes/
https://www.worldhistory.org/Hipparchus_of_Nicea/#:~:text=The%20Antikythera%20Mechanism%20Research%20Project,as%20he%20was%20contemporaneous%20with
If anyone could do it - surely Archimedes! I'm always blown away by his inventions (death ray anyone??)
He died possibly but designed it. I can't remember where I saw or heard it and the dates line up that there was either a shipwreck or Archimedes helped Hipparcus build it before he died. They did find the makings of in Archimedes writings. I've always been fascinated by the machine.