In 1901, sponge divers accidentally discovered, off the Greek island of Antikythera, the wreck of a Roman ship that sank around 60-70 BCE. Among the marble statues and amphorae, they recovered a strange, corroded bronze mass, seemingly shapeless. It was only decades later, thanks to X-rays and then scanners, that the world discovered with astonishment that it was the most sophisticated mechanism ever found from antiquity.
The Antikythera Mechanism, dated around 89 BCE, is not just a clock but a true mechanism that allowed the calculation and prediction of a multitude of celestial cycles. By turning a crank, the user could track the phases of the Moon, predict solar and lunar eclipses, and even visualize the positions of the Sun and Moon in the zodiac.
What is most fascinating is the precision and miniaturization of its components. Some gears are less than 2 mm thick and are cut with very fine triangular teeth. The mechanism uses a differential gear train to model the irregular elliptical orbit of the Moon (lunar anomaly), a technology believed to have been invented in the 16th century.
For the physicist and historian of science Derek de Solla Price (1922-1983), who conducted the first in-depth studies, this artifact completely overturned our understanding of Greek technology. He wrote that it was "worth more, for our understanding of the ancient Greeks, than all the marble statues combined." He suggested a possible link with the school of Archimedes (c. 287-212 BCE), whose ancient texts mention mechanized celestial spheres.
N.B. :
The Metonic cycle, named after the Greek astronomer Meton (5th century BCE), lasts 19 solar years, or almost exactly 235 lunar months. It was crucial for establishing accurate calendars and is perfectly integrated into the mechanism.
The machine raises profound questions. Who designed and built it? For what exact purpose (educational, astrological, calendrical)? Was it a unique object or evidence of a broader, now lost, technical tradition? Its existence proves that a tradition of complex astronomical clockmaking existed in the Hellenistic world, long before the Renaissance.
Current research, using X-ray tomography and high-resolution 3D imaging, continues to reveal new inscriptions and mechanical subtleties. Each digitized fragment brings us a little closer to understanding the user manual and the extent of the knowledge encapsulated in this "bronze book."
| Calculated Cycle | Period / Function | Mechanism Precision | Use / Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase and position of the Moon | Synodic month (≈29.5 days) | Extremely high | Calendar, tides, eclipses |
| Metonic cycle | 19 solar years (235 lunar months) | Perfect (19/235 gear) | Harmonization of lunar/solar calendars |
| Callippic cycle | 4 Metonic cycles (76 years) | Integrated | Refinement of the Metonic cycle |
| Eclipses (Saros) | 18 years 11 days cycle | Prediction with time and type | Observation, possibly divination |
| Panhellenic Games | 4-year cycle (e.g., Olympics) | Specific dial | Social and religious agenda |
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