The Antikythera Mechanism

“Nothing like this instrument, nothing even comparable, is preserved elsewhere in the world.”

The device was likely being transported on an overloaded Roman galley ship carrying Greek treasure. It is thought to have sunk during a storm. Above is seen an x-ray of the Antikythera Mechanism.

In Ancient Babylon, it is believed lunar eclipses are a message for the king. Whether the message brings good fortune or impending death depends upon how much of the moon is lost in shadow and where the other stars and planets lie in the sky. If the message is thought to be an omen of chaos and death, a strange custom is set into play. The king officially steps down from his throne, giving it to a substitute king — often a criminal — who is bathed, anointed with oil, and fed cooked birds and wine. Rulers like Alexander the Great wait for the eclipse to pass. It is thought that all misfortune befalls the temporary king as the moon is moth-eaten by a fiery red or an incandescent orange. Important signs are written down during the eclipse. Anomalies in the sky or the Earth. Birth defects among the mothers. Once the eclipse is over, the substitute king is killed and many of his possessions are burned to purify the land. Alexander returns to his throne.

This is one of many examples detailing mankind’s fascination with the skies — it color, its composition, the spectacles that take place against the blue backdrop. But it wasn’t until the discovery of the Antikythera mechanism that we realized just how early on we were able to…