The Real Antikythera Mechanism: The World’s Oldest Computer
ATHENS, Greece — When sponge divers off the coast of the Greek island of Antikythera in 1900 stumbled upon a shipwreck, they had no idea they’d discovered what would become known as the world’s oldest known mechanical calculator.
When sponge divers off the coast of the Greek island of Antikythera in 1900 stumbled upon a shipwreck, they discovered an incredible collection of statues and coins.
Working with the limits of early-20th-century underwater excavation, they recovered what they could. Much of the cargo was damaged by thousands of years in saltwater. But some of it survived in extraordinarily good condition, thanks, in some cases, to be partially buried under the sand and silt and therefore protected from the corrosive saltwater.
They include the Antikythera Ephebe, a large bronze statue of a male youth. There’s the impressive head of a philosopher, with its eerie, piercing glass eyes.
And downstairs in the open courtyard next to the cafeteria, there are some weathered marble statues, including one of a large horse, some of which has been weathered and some preserved remarkably well.
But amongst the haul were some small fragments of bronze. For decades after they were found, no one was quite sure what they were.
And, indeed, it’s really only since the 1970s, and even more recently, that consensus has developed on them.
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As impressive as the statues and coins are, it’s these fragments, collectively known as the Antikythera Mechanism, that are the most extraordinary. It’s often referred to as the world’s oldest known mechanical calculator.
The last of the Indiana Jones movies, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, is centered around a device that’s loosely based on this real Antikythera Mechanism. But, alas, there’s no time-traveling with this one.
With incredible precision of creativity, engineering, and manufacturing, its at least 37 meshing bronze gears work together to make a whole range of calculations.
Basically, it’s a remarkably sophisticated astronomical computer. To the extent that its students have managed to unlock its secrets, it appears that it was used for calculating the positions of the stars, moon phases, eclipses, and the host city of the Olympic games in any given Olympiad (there were only four choices at the time).
And just as remarkably, its creator carved instructions into the faces, suggesting it might have been used for students or wealthy benefactors.
Who created it remains a mystery. And it’s not clear exactly how old it is; scholarly estimates place its manufacture most likely in the second century BC. But its raw ingenuity and sophistication for its era is mind-boggling. No other device of comparable mechanical complexity is known from antiquity or indeed from the following millennium.
The Antikythera Mechanism’s mechanics
The parts of the mechanism that have survived are 82 fragments, with Fragment A being the largest piece, although it’s not entirely clear whether all of these belong to the mechanism.
Originally, it contained at least 37 meshing bronze gears, dials, scales, axles, and pointers. On the surface of many of the fragments, there are Greek inscriptions about astronomical and calendar calculations. The whole thing was likely originally contained in a wooden case, although that part has long since gone.
From when it was first found, it was suspected to be some kind of astronomical, astrological, or navigation tool, but it’s only in recent decades that more of its secrets have been unlocked thanks to cleaning, dedicated research, and a battery of new-technology scientific tests like X-ray linear tomography, photography, plain radiography, and advanced surface imaging and high-resolution 3D X-ray tomography.
The upshot is that scientists have been able to peer inside and then recreate the workings of the Mechanism. Three of the most important recreations of the machine, each distinctive, are on display in the exhibit alongside the original Mechanism. More recently, researchers at the University College London have unlocked more of the mechanism’s mysteries.
Photos of the Antikythera Mechanism at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, Greece
Many of these are available as high-resolution digital images to license/buy and download. The links in the captions will take you directly to that image’s licensing and download page.
The original fragments
The core of the exhibit consists of the original fragments that were recovered from the wreck.
ATHENS, Greece — Original fragments of the Antikythera Mechanism are on display at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. The exhibit presents all 82 surviving fragments, with Fragment A — the largest piece — prominently featuring the main four-spoked drive gear and containing most of the surviving gear trains. This ancient Greek astronomical calculator, made of corroded bronze, is the oldest known mechanical calculator of its complexity. The device was recovered from a shipwreck off Antikythera island during an operation spanning late 1900 through the summer of 1901, and scholarly estimates place its manufacture in the second century BC. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamyATHENS, Greece — Antikythera Mechanism Fragment A is displayed at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens as the centerpiece of the dedicated Antikythera Shipwreck Exhibition. The largest of the 82 surviving fragments at approximately 120 mm across, it features the main four-spoked drive gear and contains most of the mechanism’s surviving gear trains. The device was manufactured most likely in the second century BC and recovered in 1901 from a sunken cargo ship off the Greek island of Antikythera; despite saltwater damage, extensive research has confirmed its function as a complex astronomical calculator for predicting celestial positions and eclipses. It remains the oldest known mechanical calculator of comparable complexity, with no rival surviving from antiquity or the millennium that followed. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamyATHENS, Greece — The Antikythera Mechanism fragments are exhibited at the National Archaeological Museum in the dedicated Antikythera Shipwreck Exhibition, which has displayed all 82 surviving pieces together since 2013. Discovered in 1901 in a sunken cargo ship off Antikythera island, the device suffered severe saltwater damage that left its bronze components heavily corroded. Manufactured most likely in the second century BC, it is the oldest known mechanical calculator of comparable complexity, and extensive research has confirmed its function as a sophisticated astronomical calculator for tracking celestial cycles and predicting eclipses. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamyATHENS, Greece — Original bronze fragments of the Antikythera Mechanism are exhibited at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. This ancient Greek astronomical calculator was discovered in a shipwreck off the island of Antikythera, with the recovery operation running from late 1900 through the summer of 1901. Scholarly estimates place the device’s manufacture in the second century BC, most likely between 150 and 87 BC. These corroded bronze pieces represent the oldest known mechanical calculator of comparable complexity — no other device rivaling it is known from antiquity or the following millennium. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamyATHENS, Greece — The Antikythera Mechanism fragments are displayed together in the dedicated Antikythera Shipwreck Exhibition at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. All 82 surviving pieces of this ancient Greek astronomical calculator have been shown in this permanent gallery since 2013. The mechanism was manufactured most likely in the second century BC and recovered in 1901 by sponge divers from a sunken cargo ship off the Greek island of Antikythera, alongside statues, coins, glassware, and jewelry. Though badly damaged by saltwater, extensive research using high-resolution CT scanning has established its sophisticated functions and led to modern reconstructions, confirming it as the oldest known mechanical calculator of comparable complexity. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamyATHENS, Greece — The reverse of Antikythera Mechanism Fragment A, with its intricate surviving gear trains clearly visible, is on display at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. Fragment A is the largest of the 82 surviving pieces — approximately 120 mm across — and contains the main four-spoked drive gear along with most of the mechanism’s gearing. The device, manufactured most likely in the second century BC, is widely considered the oldest known mechanical calculator of comparable complexity and is confirmed by research to be an astronomical calculator for predicting celestial positions and eclipses. It was recovered in 1901 from a sunken cargo ship off the Greek island of Antikythera and is now the centerpiece of the museum’s dedicated Antikythera Shipwreck Exhibition. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamyATHENS, Greece — The dedicated Antikythera Shipwreck Exhibition at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens displays all 82 surviving fragments of the Antikythera Mechanism. This ancient Greek astronomical calculator, manufactured most likely in the second century BC, is the oldest known mechanical calculator of comparable complexity — no other device rivaling it survives from antiquity or the following millennium. It was recovered in 1901 by sponge divers from a sunken cargo ship off the coast of Antikythera island, alongside statues, coins, glassware, and jewelry. Despite severe saltwater damage to the corroded bronze fragments, extensive research including high-resolution CT scanning has established the device’s sophisticated functions and enabled modern reconstructions. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamyATHENS, Greece — Original bronze fragments of the Antikythera Mechanism are on display at the National Archaeological Museum. This ancient Greek astronomical calculator was recovered from a shipwreck off Antikythera island during an operation spanning late 1900 through the summer of 1901, and scholarly estimates place its manufacture in the second century BC. The corroded bronze pieces are considered the oldest known mechanical calculator of comparable complexity, used to compute astronomical positions, predict eclipses, and track calendar cycles. The National Archaeological Museum holds the largest collection of ancient Greek antiquities in the world and is widely regarded as one of the most important museums globally. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamyATHENS, Greece — The Antikythera Shipwreck Exhibition at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens displays all 82 fragments of this ancient astronomical calculator together in a dedicated gallery. Manufactured most likely in the second century BC, the mechanism was discovered in 1901 by sponge divers in a sunken cargo ship off the Greek island of Antikythera; the wreck also yielded a large cache of statues, coins, glassware, and jewelry. Despite saltwater damage, extensive research has confirmed its sophisticated functions — computing astronomical positions, predicting eclipses, and tracking multiple calendar cycles including those of the Panhellenic Games. The exhibition has been a permanent feature of the National Archaeological Museum, the largest repository of ancient Greek antiquities in the world, since 2013. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamyATHENS, Greece — Antikythera Mechanism Fragment A, the largest of the 82 surviving pieces, is a centerpiece of the dedicated Antikythera Shipwreck Exhibition at the National Archaeological Museum. Approximately 120 mm across, it features the main four-spoked drive gear and contains most of the surviving gear trains. This ancient Greek device, manufactured most likely in the second century BC, is considered the oldest known mechanical calculator of comparable complexity. It was recovered from a sunken cargo ship off Antikythera island during an excavation spanning late 1900 through the summer of 1901. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamyATHENS, Greece — The original corroded bronze fragments of the Antikythera Mechanism, an ancient Greek astronomical calculator, are on display at the National Archaeological Museum. Recovered from a shipwreck off the island of Antikythera in 1901, the device is the oldest known mechanical calculator of its complexity. Scholarly estimates place its manufacture in the second century BC, most likely between 150 and 87 BC. The National Archaeological Museum, housed in a neoclassical building on Patission Street, holds the largest collection of ancient Greek antiquities in the world, spanning more than 7,000 years of history from the Neolithic to the Late Roman period. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamy
Modern recreations
In addition to the fragments of the original, the exhibit shows several modern recreations that have been aimed at trying to reconstruct the mechanism’s operation and purpose.
ATHENS, Greece — A reconstruction of the Antikythera Mechanism is displayed at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. The original ancient Greek device, recovered from a shipwreck off Antikythera island during excavations spanning late 1900 through the summer of 1901, used at least 37 interlocking bronze gears to compute astronomical positions, predict eclipses, and track multiple calendar cycles including those of the Panhellenic Games. Manufactured most likely in the second century BC, it is considered the oldest known mechanical calculator of comparable complexity. The National Archaeological Museum’s dedicated Antikythera Shipwreck Exhibition displays all 82 surviving fragments alongside reconstruction models reflecting successive generations of scholarship. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamyATHENS, Greece — A reconstruction model of the Antikythera Mechanism by Michael Wright is displayed at the National Archaeological Museum. Wright, a curator at the London Science Museum, built his working model after conducting three-dimensional X-ray laminography of the fragments with Alan Bromley in the late 1980s and early 1990s, incorporating planetary gearing and spiral back dials. The original ancient Greek device, recovered from a 1901 shipwreck excavation off Antikythera island, is considered the oldest known mechanical calculator of comparable complexity. Manufactured most likely in the second century BC, it used a system of interlocking bronze gears to track celestial movements and calculate astronomical events including eclipses and planetary positions. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamyATHENS, Greece — An early reconstruction of the Antikythera Mechanism based on the research of Derek de Solla Price is displayed at the National Archaeological Museum. Price, a British physicist and historian of science, began studying the fragments in the late 1950s and published his culminating analysis, “Gears from the Greeks,” in 1974, identifying at least 30 gears and establishing the device as a mechanical solar and lunar calculator. The original device, recovered from a shipwreck off Antikythera island during an operation spanning late 1900 through the summer of 1901, is considered the oldest known mechanical calculator of comparable complexity. Scholarly estimates place its manufacture in the second century BC, most likely between 150 and 87 BC. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamyATHENS, Greece — A reconstruction model of the Antikythera Mechanism by Michael Wright, curator at the London Science Museum, is displayed at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. Wright built his working model after conducting three-dimensional X-ray laminography of the fragments in the late 1980s and early 1990s alongside Australian computer scientist Alan Bromley; it incorporates planetary gearing and spiral back dials, representing a significant advance over earlier reconstructions. The original ancient Greek device, recovered from a shipwreck off Antikythera island in 1901, is considered the oldest known mechanical calculator of comparable complexity. It used at least 37 interlocking bronze gears to compute astronomical positions, predict eclipses, and track multiple calendar cycles. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamyATHENS, Greece — A modern reconstruction model of the Antikythera Mechanism is displayed at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. This ancient Greek device, manufactured most likely in the second century BC, is the oldest known mechanical calculator of comparable complexity. It was recovered in 1901 by sponge divers from a sunken cargo ship off Antikythera island, and extensive research has confirmed its purpose as an astronomical calculator for predicting celestial positions, eclipses, and calendar cycles. The museum, the largest repository of ancient Greek antiquities in the world, showcases the original fragments alongside multiple reconstruction models in its dedicated Antikythera Shipwreck Exhibition. Photo by David Coleman / Have Camera Will TravelLicense this image at:DirectlyAlamy
Want to build your own?
If you’d like to build your own functioning replica of this fascinating mechanical computer, you can now get the parts and instructions in kit form through the Open Antikythera Project by S&T Geotronics. You can find more information here.
How to get to the Antikythera Mechanism
Located in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens, Greece
Nearest airport: Athens International Airport (ATH)
Nearest public transport hub: Victoria (Biktṓria / Βικτώρια) Metro Station (Line 1)
Where to Find It. When you’re at the National Archaeological Museum, you’ll see references around the place to the Antikythera Mechanism being on display in Gallery 38 in the section displaying the bronze collection. That information is outdated, and you’ll find empty showcases in Gallery 38 where some of the artifacts were once displayed. The Antyikythera Mechanism now has its own shiny new exhibit room in Gallery 43, thanks at least in part to sponsorship by the watch company Hublot. The exhibit is right at the back of the museum. As you come in the museum’s main entrance, go straight, and keep going all the way until you come to the stairwell. Don’t go up the stairs — take a right at their base, and the Antikythera Mechanism exhibit is just through the first door, on your left as you pass through.
There are also other artifacts from the Antikythera wreck elsewhere in the museum, such as a detailed sculpture of a head known as the philosopher’s head and a slightly larger-than-life bronze statue of a young man known as the Antikythera Ephebe.
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