120 years ago, divers discovered a shipwreck off the Greek island of Antikythera. Hidden inside was an ancient ‘computer’ that simply shouldn't exist.

Michie said:

The mysterious Antikythera Mechanism has captured the imagination of archaeologists, mathematicians, and scientists ever since its discovery, even inspiring the plot for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Now, using the latest 3D x-ray and modelling technology, experts are unravelling the secrets of what this machine may have been capable of...

Video below. 6 minutes and 54 seconds.

120 years ago, divers discovered a shipwreck off the Greek island of Antikythera. Hidden inside was an ancient ‘computer’ that simply shouldn't exist...

The mysterious Antikythera Mechanism has captured the imagination of archaeologists, mathematicians, and scientists ever since its discovery...

blog.newadvent.org

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I remember learning about this over a decade ago. This machine fascinates me.

It's basically a primitive Greek planetarium/calendar based on geocentrism, but still a clever device.

I've heard the best guess is the device was built by Archimedes.

Most people aren't aware the ancient Greeks had automata and machines, such as coin-operated vending machines for holy water, temple doors that opened automatically, and even mechanical birds. However, since they depended so much on slave labor, there was no economic basis for developing machines beyond scientific curiosities, toys, or religious special effects.

One of the reasons that the machine became a metaphor for humanity following the Enlightenment may have been the fact Europeans always had an advantage in making machinery. In fact, automata were about the only trade good that the Chinese would buy from the Europeans.