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Greek's Ancient 'Antikythera' Computer Deciphered
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by tiha zaman | July 31, 2008 at 01:42 am
1204 views | 38 Recommendations | 27 comments
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I think someone else on NP had higlighted the story of this ancient computer, but I find it too interesting not to do a little bit more research, find out the story behind it and not share it with everyone.
31st July 2008 - The Antikythera Mechanism, sometimes called the first analog computer, was recovered more than a century ago in the wreckage of a ship that sank off the tiny island of Antikythera, north of Crete. Earlier research showed that the device was probably built between 140 and 100 BC.
The latest research has revealed details of dials on the instrument's back side, including the names of all 12 months of an ancient calendar and used to predict solar eclipses.
There are millions of us that log on to our computer and internet every single day. Informations are received in seconds and Tokyo, Milan or New York are not further than just a cliche-click away. Computers has made us into the info-junkie we are. Surely IBM can only take credit for the modern computers, but who thought about it? Certainly not 2000 years old Greeks?
After a closer examination of the Antikythera Mechanism, a surviving marvel of ancient Greek technology, scientists have found that the device not only predicted solar eclipses but also organized the calendar in the four-year cycles of the Olympiad, forerunner of the modern Olympic Games.
Prior to the new findings, it was thought to be only a mechanical calculator (extraordinary by its own for a technology of 2000 years old) and it was designed to calculate astronomical positions.
The device was thin ( 9cm thick (3.5inch) (much like the size of a modern laptop) and is inscribed with a text over 3000 characters. Most of the characters shows instruction for observations of the star (the sun) and motions of planet like Hermes (Mercury) and Aphrodite (Venus) and eclipses.
The magnitude of importance of this find was best described by Professor Michael Edmunds of Cardiff University and Nicholas Paphitis back in 2006:
"This device is extraordinary, the only thing of its kind," said Professor Edmunds. "The astronomy is exactly right ... in terms of historic and scarcity value, I have to regard this mechanism as being more valuable than the Mona Lisa."
Imagine tossing a top-notch laptop into the sea, leaving scientists from a foreign culture to scratch their heads over its corroded remains centuries later. (Michael Paphitis)
The Antikythera mechanism is the oldest identified complex scientific instrument. It was reported that its miniaturization and complexity of its parts is comparable to that of 18th century clocks. Its origin as well as its heritage was suggested to go back in time of the colonies of Corinthian with a link to great Archimedes (Greek mathematician, inventor, engineer, physicist and astronomer of classical antiquity).
Predictably, there were similar devices mentioned in ancient literature by Cicero's de Republica and the writer Pappus Alexandria. If Cicero's facts were correct then a similar device to the Antikythera mechanism had already existed as early as 3rd century BC.
Among the larger questions, scientists and historians said the place of the Antikythera Mechanism in the development of Greek technology remained poorly understood. Several references to similar instruments appear in classical literature, including Cicero's description of one made by Archimedes. But this one, hauled out of the sea in 1901, is the sole surviving example.
"We believe that this mechanism cannot have been the first such device since it is so sophisticated and complex," Freeth said. "And we don't understand why this extraordinary technology apparently disappeared for several hundred years, later to emerge in the great astronomical clocks of the 14th century onwards."
A simple explanation would be that all empires in history that rise would eventually fall - and buried with them, a whole civilization of knowledge, technologies and mysteries of the "history" of men. But what is life without a few mysteries for us to decipher...
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tiha zaman
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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lemon (not verified)at 02:32 on July 31st, 2008
Interesting piece. Though technically different but why can't men develop computers 2000 years ago too. Cuz only through histoy can men understand men.
at 02:44 on July 31st, 2008
While we surf the virtual world at hours on end, im guessing their (ancient world) version of getting lost in the web is through astronomy. Looking at the stars and planet must have been a really techno-advanced hobby at the time. :)
at 04:02 on July 31st, 2008
tiha zaman, I like this story. It's good stuff.
I read about that in a Science Journal almost a year ago, it is incredible how much knowledge we have lost and are slowly gaining back! To this day for example we have not managed to replicate the Roman nor the Egyptian Cement that in it self was far better quality then ours today!
at 04:41 on July 31st, 2008
Thanks Paschen, it turns out that the device was found 108 years ago in a place call antikythera ergo the name of the mechanism but is only actively studied now. And I'm curious too, for instance when Roman settled in England, they brought a whole civilization of knowledge with them to build modern settlements (with forums, stadiums and aqueducts)...but when invaded by the anglo saxon, all those roman age stone-streets were replaced with sunken feature huts!
at 05:04 on July 31st, 2008
The Anglo Saxon where not invaders though, they where a German Clan used by the Roman as legionnaires to conquer Britannia and the Clan of the Francs was used as legionnaires to conquer Gaul today France! Once conquered and under Roman control they where allowed to settle and farm the land as pay for their services to Rome! Yet they where always second class citizen in the Roman Empire and wanted to be equals! Caesar was assassinated in part because he wanted to make the German clans Romans and give them a say in the senate as well! Otto the first of the German Clan of the Allemanen managed to Unite all the German Clans and overran Rome, funding the Holly Roman Empire of German Nations that lasted about a 1000 years and fall apart with the death of Karl the Great since his 3 sons could not agree on who would be the successor of the German Empire they split it into 3 at first then it split into 11 nations, GB, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Lichtenschtein, Austria, Switzerland and the Nether Lands! Latin was widely used and became French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian, English is a mix of Latin and German and German evolved into modern German!
at 05:24 on July 31st, 2008
Im using "invasion", as it seemed appropriate because from what I know traditionally, the(Saxon) Germanic warband that arrived in the British mid fifth century was asked to serve as mercenary troops at the invitation of the British Sub-Romans governments. When the govenrment failed in their agreement to supply them, the troops revolted. The first settlers then asked their overseas relatives to join them. And at the mid of 6th century the German had expanded too rapidly that by the time St Augustine's arrival they had controlled much of the low land and and was expanding to the north and west of Britain. Correct me if im wrong, but the way they occupy and march into Britain seemed like a swarming "invasion" to me..
at 05:34 on July 31st, 2008
Well, yes it was an Invasion of course, yet it started under Roman Rule not Germanic Rule!
The term used by the Roman was conquest and the natives that lived there before where massacred and exterminated for the largest part! Yet the Conquest or Invasion had started all ready 40 BC! The Gaul where completely exterminated and the Welch just about!
at 05:38 on July 31st, 2008
Ah i see...i shall now get down to the heavy business of rewriting my history books. Darn those Asterix and Obelix. Lol :)
at 05:45 on July 31st, 2008
Well if you use Asterix and Obelix as reference then yes you may want to rewrite those books! The Irony is that the French like to believe that they are of Gaul decent, yet they are Germanic of the Clan of the Francs that has its origine in the North of Bavaria in a state still called Franken! Same for the Anglo Saxon they original State still exist in Germany, Angel Saxen! Long story though! Have fun reading about it!
at 05:47 on July 31st, 2008
Paschen, of course not! I was just kidding!
at 05:50 on July 31st, 2008
I know, :) I read A & O as well!
at 04:12 on July 31st, 2008
A BBC story this morning is linking the device to counting down to the Olympics, but I'm not so sure. (I'm no archeologist, though!)
at 04:32 on July 31st, 2008
Hi Jordan and thanks for the mark.
Im not an archelogist or historian either, but from my reading, one of the known purpose of antikythera is that its acts as a calender computer. The Olympic connection is suggested by a professor of history of science at Yale University Derek J. De Solla Price who contributes the device to counting years much like the 4 years olympiad cycle! :-)
at 05:20 on July 31st, 2008
tiha zaman, I like this story. It's good stuff.
Great article. Nice to know there are still some mysteries of history that we are still deciphering.
at 05:25 on July 31st, 2008
Thanks mchawk. appreciate it
at 07:14 on July 31st, 2008
amazing story tiha, i wonder whether Indian ancient civilization had similiar technology?
at 07:24 on July 31st, 2008
Thanks azzayindia...this may not be much coming from me, but im totally impressed that Mehrgarh has dentistry knowledge even back during 7000-3300 BCE. Having good teeth to chew to me is more important than seeing stars. :)
at 07:23 on July 31st, 2008
tiha zaman, I like this story. It's good stuff.
Amazing. I would've never known that. Thanks for doing the research for all of us.
Many of my questions were answered in the comments already. haha. Very nice.
at 07:26 on July 31st, 2008
Thanks for the flag Heiky, i really appreciate it.
at 07:51 on July 31st, 2008
i love old computers.
at 08:34 on July 31st, 2008
especially those that makes "wall-e" sounds. Lol
at 08:15 on July 31st, 2008
tiha zaman, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 08:34 on July 31st, 2008
tiha zaman, I like this story. It's good stuff. Thanks for bringing this to our attention. I often think about the terrible loss when the library at Alexandria was torched.
at 08:40 on July 31st, 2008
Thanks for the GS marks farleyj and Barbara, I appreciate them! And yeah, just imagine the sort of gems we would find if it had survived the fire.
at 09:41 on July 31st, 2008
tiha zaman, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 10:04 on July 31st, 2008
tiha zaman, I like this story. It's good stuff.
Fascinating, but not surprising, that a device of this caliber (technologically speaking) existed. The Ancient Greek culture was capable of some very impressive feats in many disciplines. I guess what may be surprising is that it took us this long to identify a real purpose for the instrument.
at 18:59 on July 31st, 2008
Thanks you guys. appreciate it!