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des23

Written by:morten.rokosz
Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:42:34 GMT 

The Antikythera mechanism, is an ancient mechanical calculator (also described as the first known mechanical computer) designed to calculate astronomical positions. It was discovered in the Antikythera wreck off the Greek island of Antikythera, between Kythera and Crete, in 1901. Subsequent investigation, particularly in 2006, dated it to about 150–100 BC; and hypothesised that it was on board a ship that sank en route from the Greek island of Rhodes to Rome. Technological artifacts of similar complexity did not reappear until a thousand years later.

Jacques-Yves Cousteau visited the wreck for the last time in 1978, but found no more remains of the Antikythera Mechanism. Professor Michael Edmunds of Cardiff University who led the study of the mechanism said: "This device is just extraordinary, the only thing of its kind. The design is beautiful, the astronomy is exactly right. The way the mechanics are designed just makes your jaw drop. Whoever has done this has done it extremely carefully." He added: "...in terms of historic and scarcity value, I have to regard this mechanism as being more valuable than the Mona Lisa."

(Source WikiPedia)

In this YouTube video Michael Wright, a former curator at the Science Museum in London who studied the Antikythera mechanism for many years, shows off his model of it.

 

 

I am pretty sure that one of the statements from the inventor of this device would be somthing like this: "- There will be a need of only three Antikythera mechanisms in the entire ancient world."

 

 

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66 comment(s) so far...

Re: The Antikythera mechanism

If you're interested in the history of information technology, the Heinz Nixdorf Museumsforum is worth a visit. It claims to be the biggest computer museum in the world. It's located in Paderborn which is about a one hour drive from Dortmund. I was there a couple of years ago. You can also see an electro-mechanic automatic telephone switching system. No extended call routing, however :-)

By Martin on  Tue, 23 Dec 2008 20:10:29 GMT

Re: The Antikythera mechanism

Maybe something for the next stay in Dortmund. Last time Tom took us to the mining museum in a town I do not remember the name of. I did some video recordings from that museum. Maybe I will put together a video of that and put it on YouTube.

By morten.rokosz on  Wed, 24 Dec 2008 19:16:04 GMT

Re: The Antikythera mechanism

Morten, that was the "Deutsches Bergbau Museum" in Bochum ( www.bergbaumuseum.de ). Afterwards we'd spent some time in the "Bermuda3eck" ( www.bermuda3eck.de ). I have never been to the Nixdorf Museum, so I will definately apply for the job as taxi driver and touring guide ;-)

By tom.wellige on  Thu, 25 Dec 2008 14:41:41 GMT

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