ro63rto Posted June 29, 2014 Posted June 29, 2014 (edited) This geared calendar is supposed to be over 2000 years old.Ancient Discoveries - The Antikythera Machine:http://youtu.be/nZXjUqLMgxM Edited June 27, 2015 by Mark 1 Quote
ro63rto Posted June 29, 2014 Author Posted June 29, 2014 (edited) Not sure why the link came up like that. youtube KO4-zx9buc Edited June 29, 2014 by ro63rto Quote
autowind Posted June 29, 2014 Posted June 29, 2014 There is extensive information about this 2,000 year old "Computer" on the Internet, it was used to track the planets, predict eclipses and show the time of the Olympic games, not bad for 2,000 years ago. It was another 1,000 years before anyone else managed a gear based mechanism of this complexity. It is called the Antikythera Machine after the place where it was found, about 100 years ago, clever people the ancient Greeks. Quote
Geo Posted June 30, 2014 Posted June 30, 2014 I saw this some time ago and as Roger says there were some incredibly clever people back then. To be able to work out the the mathematics then actually manufacture a device as complicated is truly mind blowing. Even today it would be a massive, or should I say a mathive achievement. Quote
Don Posted June 26, 2015 Posted June 26, 2015 I just finished a book about the Antikythera Mechanism called "Decoding the Heavens" and tonight I re-watched a Nova episode about it. Fascinating subject on its own, but also as it relates to clocks. In the book it says that early clocks in Europe incorporated astronomical displays that were "spookily similar to their ancient predecessors such as the Antikythera Mechanism" and "The speed with which these astronomical displays became so elaborate and so widespread - and their similarity to those developed by the Greeks - suggests that all this did not emerge from scratch. Various pieces of the necessary technology, and the idea of using gearwheels to simulate the heavens, must have been lying dormant in a range of devices - including water clocks and hand-driven calendars - so that when the invention of the escapement allowed the construction of a mechanical clock, all of these old tricks came rushing out of the wings into the new tradition." One of the most interesting characters in the book is Michael Wright, who made a working model of the mechanism using hand tools such as would have been available in ancient Greece. In the Nova video you can see some old pocket watches in the background of his workshop. https://youtu.be/4eUibFQKJqI 1 Quote
autowind Posted June 26, 2015 Posted June 26, 2015 What I cannot figure out is how it was operated, there is a knob on the side which when turned operates the gear train and moves the pointers. To me it seems a bit like a wind up perpetual calendar watch in that if the watch is ever allowed to stop it will quickly be out of synch. This means someone had the job of operating it the required amount everyday, one can imagine the pointed fingers if ever they forgot. If anyone can explain better how it was operated I would be very interested. Quote
Geo Posted June 26, 2015 Posted June 26, 2015 My brain is hurrting thinking about the machine, never mind what kept it running. Maybe they threw it in the sea because they couldn't biuld a driving mechanism (clock) that could hold accurate time! Quote
ro63rto Posted June 26, 2015 Author Posted June 26, 2015 The original link isn't working so here's another. The 2000 Year-Old Computer http://youtu.be/nZXjUqLMgxM Quote
WillFly Posted June 26, 2015 Posted June 26, 2015 If I remember correctly, there was a winder handle which turned the mechanism. There's a nice 3-D rendering of the machine somewhere on YouTube. Quote
bobm12 Posted June 26, 2015 Posted June 26, 2015 Got here late, just my luck! The link doesn't work anymore....OK I got it finally. Excellent and interesting! Cheers, Bob Quote
Mark Posted June 27, 2015 Posted June 27, 2015 The original link isn't working so here's another. I have modified the OP for you. 1 Quote
Rob Posted June 27, 2015 Posted June 27, 2015 Hublot made a wristwatch version of the Antikythera mechanism. Limited to 20 pieces at about $300k a pop. 2 Quote
ro63rto Posted June 27, 2015 Author Posted June 27, 2015 Hublot made a wristwatch version of the Antikythera mechanism. Limited to 20 pieces at about $300k a pop. Sorry but ugly as sin and not that impressive by modern standards. Interesting none the less though. Wonder if it can predict the moon phases for the next 18years. Quote
Rob Posted February 6, 2017 Posted February 6, 2017 The Clickspring YouTube channel recently started a series of videos about recreating the Antikythera mechanism. It should be good: 4 Quote
Don Posted February 6, 2017 Posted February 6, 2017 Clickspring channel is great. Can't wait for more videos in this series! Quote
ro63rto Posted October 20, 2018 Author Posted October 20, 2018 The Clickspring YouTube channel recently started a series of videos about recreating the Antikythera mechanism. It should be good: It's up to video #9 now. Getting even more interesting! [emoji106] Quote
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