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The Antikythera Mechanism: Mysterious Archaeology

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posted on Nov, 6 2012 @ 09:44 AM
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Greetings, ATS!

So lets take a little trip back in time...to approximately 80 B.C., off the Southern coast of Greece. On board a heavily laden merchant vessel is a small, wooden box containing a device now known as the Antikythera Mechanism. Perhaps a storm arises, or pirates attack, but for whatever reason, our boat sinks, taking the wooden box and its contents to the bottom of the ocean.

Fast forward to 1900, when the shipwreck was discovered and the wooden box recovered. What was inside? A strange contraption that held scientists in speculative thrall for more than a century.

Allow me to introduce you to the Antikythera Mechanism.




So....what is it? Well, for over a hundred years scientists and archeologists have tried to unravel the mystery of the Antikythera Mechanism.




Previous researchers have used the latest technologies available to them -such as x-ray analysis- to try to begin to unravel its complex mysteries. Now a new initiative is building on this previous work, using the very latest techniques available today. The Antikythera Mechanism Research Project is an international collaboration of academic researchers, supported by some of the world's best high-technology companies, which aims to completely reassess the function and significance of the Antikythera Mechanism.


Preliminary guesses about the mechanism included an astrolabe, an orrery, or even an astronomical clock. Whatever its purpose, one thing was clear, the Antikythera Mechanism is the most sophisticated mechanism known from the ancient world....the next example of something similar won't be made for 1,000 years.

So, what is it? Well, according to The Antikythera Mechanism Research Project, its


The Antikythera Mechanism is now understood to be dedicated to astronomical phenomena and operates as a complex mechanical "computer" which tracks the cycles of the Solar System.


Research is still ongoing. In 2006, the project published their findings in Nature
and held an international conference to release their findings. The project also plans to release new information sometime in the next year or so.

So....the reason I shared this with you is because I'm constantly amazed at the creativity and capabilities of ancient people. Who would have thought 2,000 years ago that such a complex machine could exist?

Hope you enjoy,
smylee

sources used:
picture source
the Antikythera Museum Research Project



posted on Nov, 6 2012 @ 09:54 AM
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reply to post by smyleegrl
 


Well written, thank you. I've been looking at this thing for a couple of years now and the things they uncovered are amazing.




posted on Nov, 6 2012 @ 10:32 AM
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I'm glad you brought up this subject again because I have to tell posters that I've seen two very different reconstructions of this device. I'd like to know which one is accurate.

The problem is I can't post pictures of either. Does anyone else remember seeing the same thing I have?



posted on Nov, 6 2012 @ 12:00 PM
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reply to post by PrplHrt
 


I know that on the main site I linked, they had different reconstructions done over the years. Maybe that's what you saw?



posted on Nov, 6 2012 @ 12:00 PM
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reply to post by PrplHrt
 


Double post. Either that, or I time travelled. Or something.
edit on 6-11-2012 by smyleegrl because: (no reason given)



posted on Nov, 6 2012 @ 12:02 PM
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One stood upright like a clock and was made of Lucite. One was oblong and on its side, like a box. It was made of metal.

The Lucite one looked much closer to the original.



posted on Nov, 7 2012 @ 10:45 PM
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Well written thread!

They also have computer simulations of how the device functions. Linky.



posted on Nov, 7 2012 @ 10:51 PM
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It looks like it has modern rivets. Pretty intriguing.







 
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