Scientists at University College London’s Antikythera research team present a radical new model [for the ancient Greek astronomical calculator, the Antikythera Mechanism] matching all the details and culminating in an elegant display of the ancient Greek cosmos, ‘according to a study released Friday in Nature.
As new experimental techniques emerged, research teams were able to explain the purpose and dynamics of the Antikythera mechanism’s backside, which included a system of obscuration predictions. In particular, the use of high-resolution surface imaging and X-ray tomography on the artifact, described in a 2006 study also led by Freeth, revealed amounts of inscriptions never seen before, which are useful as a user manual for the mechanism.
Freeth and his colleagues believe they have tackled the missing piece of the puzzle: the intricate gearwork that underlies the calculator’s front “Cosmos” screen. Virtually none of this front section survived, and ‘according to the study, no previous reconstruction exists close to the agreement with the data’.
The new paper “synthesized others’ work and dealt with all the loose ends and the awkward nuances that other people simply ignored,” Wojcik said. “For example, there are certain features in the surviving pieces – holes and pillars and things like that – that people have said: ‘well, we’ll just ignore it in our explanation. There should be a use for it, but we do not’ know ‘ not what it is, so we’ll just ignore it. “
Read more here.
Watch a thirty minute video on the history of the mechanism and the latest research and paper from the UCL Antikythera research team.
Image: computer model of the Cosmos exhibition from the paper of the research team