The Antikythera Mechanism: Its Dating and Place in the History of Technology

doi:10.1558/jmea.32915

Journal of Mediterranean Archaeology, Vol 30, No 1 (2017)

The Antikythera Mechanism: Its Dating and Place in the History of Technology

Nicholas David

Issued Date: 3 Jul 2017

Abstract

Recent interpretive analysis of the astronomical calculator known as the Antikythera mechanism (AKM), the oldest geared instrument in the world, reveals that the astronomy it embodies is of the third to second century bc. The device has no known precursor and is more complicated than any surviving mechanism from the following millennium. Its apparent uniqueness stems from a failure to embed the device in the society, economy and technology of its time. After summarizing the circumstances of its recovery from a shipwreck in 1900–1901, subsequent excavations and the curation and analyses of associated materials through the 1950s, I turn to recent research. Studies of coins and ceramics from the wreck indicate that the freighter transporting the AKM foundered at some point between 70 and 50 bc. Meanwhile analyses of inscriptions on the device and other evidence link it to the Corinthian sphere of influence and suggest a date between 129 and 75 bc. Review of the literary and material history of astronomical devices and geared machinery of the period 100 bc–500 ad reveals relatives, but nothing comparable to the AKM in its range of functions. Yet it is not a Machina ex Deo. Archaeologists are encouraged to recover and analyze more evidence of the tradition it undoubtedly represents. Intensive research into the mode of production and the social, economic, technical and material aspects of the bronze and brass industries of the first millennia bc and ad is required.

Download Media

PDF (Price: £17.50 ) Restricted Access

DOI: 10.1558/jmea.32915

References

Anastasiou, M., V. Bitsakis, A. Jones, J. Steele and M. Zafeiropoulou

2016 The inscriptions of the Antikythera Mechanism, 4: The Back Dial and Back Plate inscriptions. Almagest 7: 138-215. https://doi.org/10.1484/J.ALMAGEST.5.110735

Barnish, S.J.B.

1992 Cassiodorus: Variae. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press.

Bett, R.

2012 Sextus Empiricus: Against the Physicists. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/upo9781844654635.013

Bilfinger, G.

1892 Mittelalterlichen Ohren und die modernen Stunden: ein Beitrag zur Kulturgeschichte. Stuttgart: W. Kohlhammer.

Bitsakis, Y., and A. Jones

2016 The Front Dial and Parapegma inscriptions. In The Inscriptions of the Antikythera Mechanism, special issue, Almagest 7: 68-137. https://doi.org/10.1484/j.almagest.5.110734

Caley, E.R.

1970 Chemical composition of Greek and Roman statuary bronzes. In S. Doeringer, D.G. Mitten and A. Steinberg (eds.), Art and Technology: A Symposium on Classical Bronzes, 37-49. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Cousteau, J.-Y., and P. Cousteau (producers)

1978 The Cousteau Odyssey: Diving for Roman Plunder [Film]. Cousteau Society Production.

Craddock, P.T., and K. Eckstein

2003 Production of brass in antiquity by direct reduction. In P.T. Craddock and J. Lang (eds.), Mining and Metal Production Through the Ages, 216-30. London: British Museum.

Dietler, M., and I. Herbich

1998 Habitus, techniques, style: an integrated approach to the social understanding of material culture and boundaries. In M.T. Stark (ed.), The Archaeology of Social Boundaries, 232-69. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press.

D’Oriano, R., and G. Pastore

2010 Un frammento del Planetario di Archimede da Olbia. In M. Milanese, P. Ruggeri and C. Vismara (eds.), L’Africa romana: I luoghi e le forme dei mestieri della produzione nelle province africane 3: 1777-814.

Drachmann, A.G.

1963 The Mechanical Technology of Greek and Roman Antiquity: A Study of the Literary Sources. Copenhagen: Munksgaard.

Dumas, F.

1976 30 Centuries under the Sea. New York: Crown.

Edmunds, M.G.

2014 The Antikythera Mechanism and the mechanical universe. Contemporary Physics 55: 263-85. https://doi.org/10.1080/00107514.2014.927280

Edmunds, M.G., and P. Morgan

2000 The Antikythera Mechanism: still a mystery of Greek astronomy? Astronomy and Geophysics 41(6): 10-17. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1468-4004.2000.41610.x

Edwards, R.G.

1965 The Hellenistic pottery from the shipwreck of Antikythera. In G.D Weinberg, V.R. Grace, G.R. Edwards, H.S. Robinson, P. Throckmorton and E.K. Ralph, The Antikythera shipwreck reconsidered. Special issue, Transactions of the American Philosophical Society 55(3): 18-27.

Evans, J.

1998 The History and Practice of Ancient Astronomy. New York: Oxford University Press.

Evans, J., and J.L. Berggren

2006 Geminos’s Introduction to the Phenomena: The Translation and Study of a Hellenistic Survey of Astronomy. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press.

Field, J.V., and M.T. Wright

1985 Gears from the Byzantines: a portable sundial with calendrical gearing. Annals of Science 42: 87-138. https://doi.org/10.1080/
00033798500200131

Freeth, T.

2009 Decoding an ancient computer. Scientific
American 301: 76-83. https://doi.org/10.1038/scientificamerican1209-76

Freeth, T., Y. Bitsakis, X. Moussas, J.H. Seiradakis, A. Tselikas, E. Magkou, M. Zafeiropoulou, R. Hadland, D. Bate, A. Ramsey, M. Allen, A. Crawley, P. Hockley, T. Malzbender, D. Gelb, W. Ambrisco and M.G. Edmunds

2006 Decoding the ancient Greek astronomical calculator known as the Antikythera Mechanism. Nature 444: 587-91. Internet Edition:
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v444/n7119/abs/nature05357.html

Freeth, T., A. Jones, J.M. Steele and Y. Bitsakis

2008 Calendars with Olympiad and eclipse prediction on the Antikythera Mechanism. Nature 454: 614-17. Internet Edition: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v454/n7204/extref/nature07130-s1.pdf

Grace, V.G.

1965 The commercial amphorae from the Antikythera shipwreck. In G.D Weinberg, V.R. Grace, G.R. Edwards, H.S. Robinson, P. Throckmorton and E.K. Ralph, The Antikythera shipwreck reconsidered. Special issue, Transactions of the American Philosophical Society 55(3): 5-17.

Hassan, A.Y.

2005 Transfer of Islamic technology to the West, part II: transmission of Islamic engineering. In E. Ihsanoglu (ed.), History of Science and Technology in Islam: Cultural Contacts in Building a Universal Civilization: Islamic Contributions, 183-223. Istanbul: IRCICA. Revised Internet Edition: http://www.history-science-technology.com/Articles/articles%2071.html

Henriksson, G.

2014 Thales of Miletus, Archimedes and the solar eclipses on the Antikythera Mechanism. Journal of Earth Science and Engineering 4: 756-69.

Heritage Key

2009 Virtual reconstruction of the Antikythera Mechanism (by M. Wright & M. Vicentini) [Video]. Internet Edition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqhuAnySPZ0

Holloway, A.

2016 Unraveling the mystery of the ancient Olbia gearwheel. Ancient Origins. Internet Edition: http://www.ancient-origins.net/artifacts-ancient-
technology/unraveling-mystery-ancient-olbia-gearwheel-005136

Hultsch, F.

1878 Pappi Alexandrini Collectio, 3.I. Berlin: Weidmann.

Humphrey, J.W., J.P. Oleson and A.N. Sherwood

1998 Greek and Roman Technology: A Sourcebook. Routledge: London and New York.

Jones, A.

2016 Historical background and general observations. In The Inscriptions of the Antikythera Mechanism, special issue, Almagest 7: 36-67. https://doi.org/10.1484/j.almagest.5.110733

Kaltsas, N., E. Vlachogianni and P. Bouyia (eds.)

2012 The Antikythera Shipwreck: The Ship, the Treasures, the Mechanism. Athens: Kapon Editions.

King, H.C.

1978 Geared to the Stars: The Evolution of Planetariums, Orreries and Astronomical Clocks. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

Kolonas, L.

2012 The 1976 investigations: memories of working with Jacques-Yves Cousteau in Greece. In N. Kaltsas, E. Vlachogianni and P. Bouyia (eds.), The Antikythera Shipwreck: The Ship, the Treasures, the Mechanism, 32-34. Athens: Kapon Editions.

Malzbender, T., and D. Gelb

2016 Polynomial Texture Mapping. Hewlett-Packard website: http://www.hpl.hp.com/research/ptm/

Marchant, J.

2009 Decoding the Heavens: A 2000-year-old Computer—and the Century-long Search to Discover its Secrets. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Da Capo Press.

Martin, M., and C. Danneman

2013 Dating the Salisbury cathedral clock. Internet Edition: https://web.archive.org/web/
20120317172801/http://clocknet.org.uk/wiki/doku.php?id=dating_salisbury

Mattusch, C.

2008 Metalworking and tools. In P. Oleson (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Engineering and Technology in the Classical World, 418-38. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Pastore, G.

2013 The Recovered Archimedes Planetarium. Privately printed.

Pinotsis, A.D.

2007 The Antikythera Mechanism: who was its creator and what was its use and purpose? Astronomical and Astrophysical Transactions 26(4-5): 211-26. https://doi.org/10.1080/10556790601136925

Pisanu, G.

2006 Olbia punica: lo scavo dell’ex Mercato. In S. Andiolillo, M. Giuman and A. Pasolini (eds.), Ricerca e confronti 2006. Giornate di Studio di Archeologia e Storia dell’Arte, 261-66. Cagliari: Edizione AV.

Price, D.J. de S.

1956 The prehistory of the clock. Discovery 17: 152-57.

1959 On the origin of clockwork, perpetual motion devices and the compass. Contributions from the Museum of History and Technology, United States National Museum Bulletin 218: 81-112. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution.

1974 Gears from the Greeks: the Antikythera Mechanism—a calendar computer from ca. 80 B.C. Transactions of the American Philosophical Society 64(7): 1-70. https://doi.org/10.2307/1006146

Ramsey, A.

2006 3D X-ray imaging: the latest techniques reveal the earliest technology (conference abstract). In Decoding the Antikythera Mechanism: Science and Technology in Ancient Greece. Athens: Cultural Foundation of the National Bank of Greece. Internet Edition: http://www.antikythera-mechanism.gr/system/files/Athens_2006_Conference_Booklet.pdf

2012 X-ray tomography of the Antikythera mechanism. In From Antikythera to the Square Kilometre Array: Lessons from the Ancients (conference proceedings). Internet Edition: https://pos.sissa.it/archive/conferences/170/022/Antikythera%20&%20SKA_022.pdf

Rediadis, P.D.

1908 Der Astrolabos von Antikythera. In J.N. Svoronos (ed.), Das Athener Nationalmuseum. Textband I: 43-51. Athens: Beck and Barth.

Robinson, H.S.

1954 Ancient Corinth: A Guide to the Excavations. Princeton, New Jersey: American School of Classical Studies at Athens.

Stikas, C.

2014 Antikythera Mechanism: The Book. Trans. P. Close, N. Lingris and D. Mouratidis. Privately printed.

Stuckenrath, R. Jr, W.R. Coe and E.K. Ralph

1966 University of Pennsylvania radiocarbon dates IX. Radiocarbon 8: 348-85. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033822200000217

Svoronos, J.N.

1908 Die Funde von Antikythera. In J.N. Svoronos (ed.), Das Athener Nationalmuseum. Textband I: 1-86. Athens: Beck and Barth.

Tassios, T.

2012 Prerequisites for the Antikythera Mechanism to be produced in the 2nd century bc. In N. Kaltsas, E. Vlachogianni and P. Bouyia (eds.), The Antikythera Shipwreck: The Ship, the Treasures, the Mechanism, 249-55. Athens: Kapon Editions.

Throckmorton, P.

1965 The Antikythera ship. In G.D. Weinberg, V.R. Grace, G.R. Edwards, H.S. Robinson, P. Throckmorton and E.K. Ralph, The Antikythera shipwreck reconsidered. Special issue, Transactions of the American Philosophical Society 55(3): 40-47.

Tselekas, P.

2012 The coins. In N. Kaltsas, E. Vlachogianni and P. Bouyia (eds.), The Antikythera Shipwreck: The Ship, the Treasures, the Mechanism, 216-26. Athens: Kapon Editions.

Tsipopoulou, M., M. Antoniou and S. Massouridi

2012 The 1900-1901 investigations. In N. Kaltsas, E. Vlachogianni and P. Bouyia (eds.), The Antikythera Shipwreck: The Ship, the Treasures, the Mechanism, 18-31. Athens: Kapon Editions.

Vlachogianni, E.

2012 Sculpture. In N. Kaltsas, E. Vlachogianni and P. Bouyia (eds.), The Antikythera Shipwreck: The Ship, the Treasures, the Mechanism, 62-115. Athens: Kapon Editions.

Weinberg, G.D.

1965 Introduction. In G.D. Weinberg, V.R. Grace, G.R. Edwards, H.S. Robinson, P. Throckmorton and E.K. Ralph, The Antikythera shipwreck reconsidered. Special issue, Transactions of the American Philosophical Society 55(3): 3-4. https://doi.org/10.2307/1005929

Weinberg, G.D., V.R. Grace, G.R. Edwards, H.S. Robinson, P. Throckmorton and E. K. Ralph

1965 The Antikythera shipwreck reconsidered. Special issue, Transactions of the American Philosophical Society 55(3): 3-48. https://doi.org/10.2307/1005929

WHOI

2014 3D modeling. Return to Antikythera. Internet Edition: http://antikythera.whoi.edu/technology/3d-modeling/

2015 Marine archaeologists excavate Greek Antikythera shipwreck. Website of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute: http://www.whoi.edu/news-release/antikythera-shipwreck-excavation

Wright, M.T.

2006 The Antikythera Mechanism and the early history of the moon-phase display. Antiquarian Horology 29: 319-29.

2011 The Antikythera Mechanism: reconstruction as a medium for research and publication. In K.B. Staubermann (ed.), Reconstructions: Recreating Science and Technology of the Past, 1-20. Edinburgh: National Museums of Scotland.

2016 The sphere of Archimedes: a precursor to the Antikythera Mechanism. Paper presented at the International Conference on Ancient Greece and the Modern World: The Influence of Greek Thought on Philosophy, Science and Technology, Olympia, Greece, 28-31 August.

Zapheiropoulou, M.

2012 Old and new fragments of the Antikythera Mechanism and inscriptions. In N. Kaltsas, N., E. Vlachogianni and P. Bouyia (eds.), The Antikythera Shipwreck: The Ship, the Treasures, the Mechanism, 241-48. Athens: Kapon Editions.

Zetzel, J.E.G.

1999 Cicero: On the Commonwealth and the Laws. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Refbacks

There are currently no refbacks.

Equinox Publishing Ltd - 415 The Workstation 15 Paternoster Row, Sheffield, S1 2BX United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 (0)114 221-0285 - Email: info@equinoxpub.com