Antikythera Mechanism

The Antikythera Mechanism was discovered in 1900 off the coast of the Greek island Antikythera.¹ The device was used to calculate the movements of planets and track the phases of the moon. Experts believe the device was built sometime between 140 and 100 BC.²³

Fast Facts

1. Believed to have been built between 140 and 100 BC²
2. May have been build by the Greek astronomer and philosopher Posidonius⁴
3. Discovered: 1900¹
4. Recovered: 1901⁵
5. 82 fragments found⁶
6. Made of bronze⁶
7. Has 30 different gears⁶
8. Wreckage was discovered by Elias Stadiatos, a Greek sponge diver²
9. On display at the National Archaeological Museum of Athens

Background

It is believed the Antikythera Mechanism was built sometime between 140 and 100 BC, possibly by Greek astronomer and philosopher Posidonius. Scientists thought it might have been used as a navigation device because it was found at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea on a ship which sank around 65 BC.⁴ It is now known the device was used to calculate the movements of the planets and moon, which helped in calculating the four-year cycle of the Olympiads.⁷

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