The Anticythera Machine
Updated 2023 and 2024
The Anticythera Machine
I read about The Anticythera Machine for the first time in late 1974, ‘ A land for all seasons Greece 1974` (50 years ago) It is an amazing discovery.
“Little did the small group of sponge divers imagine as they set out in their caique in 1900 that they were to be the first men to come upon an important ancient shipwreck.
They were diving off the northern shores of the small island of Anticythera. Towards the end of their sponge diving, one of the divers brought to the surface a well-preserved hand of an ancient statue.
The divers ceased all further diving and sought the assistance of the Greek Government.
A systematic search was organised that started in November 1900 and finished the following year in September.
Fragments from statues, both marble and bronze, vessels of clay and glass, pieces of the sunken ship itself, together with other small objects were brought to the surface.
Among the various finds were the remains of a strange-looking bronze object”.
Thank you for this extraordinary video. The text from
Antikythera - Anticythère - Αντικύθηρα - 安提凯希拉
More than 21 centuries ago, a mechanism of fabulous ingenuity was created in Greece, a device capable of indicating exactly how the sky would look for decades to come -- the position of the moon and sun, lunar phases and even eclipses.
But this incredible invention would be drowned in the sea and its secret forgotten for two thousand years.
This video is a tribute from Swiss clock-maker Hublot and film-maker Philippe Nicolet to this device, known as the Antikythera Mechanism, or the world's "first computer".
The fragments of the Mechanism were discovered in 1901 by sponge divers near the island of Antikythera. It is kept since then at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, Greece.
For more than a century, researchers were trying to understand its functions. Since 2005, a pluridisciplinary research team, the "Antikythera Mechanism Research Project", is studying the Mechanism with the latest high tech available.
The results of this ongoing research has enabled the construction of many models. Amongst them, the unique mechanism of a watch, designed by Hublot as a tribute to the Mechanism, is incorporating the known functions of this mysterious and fascinating ancient Mechanism.
A model of the Antikythera Mechanism, built by the Aristotle University in Greece, together with the mechanism of the watch and this film in 3D are featuring in an exhibition about the Mechanism that is taking place in Paris, at the Musée des Arts et Métiers.
The original fragments of the Mechanism, its main models and the watch designed by Hublot are on display at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, Greece.
Return to Anticythera
The official video of the October 2019 "Return to Antikythera" diving expedition at the Antikythera Wreck site. Artifacts are coming to the surface.
Among them an intact amphora from Kos and timber from the ancient ship. See also the research vessel “Typhoon”, the Hellenic Coast Guard divers, and a sudden storm.
Anticythera Island
Life on this isolated Greek island lying at the edge of the Aegean Sea between Crete and the Peloponnesian Peninsula can be tough, especially if the ferry with its supply does not arrive, this could happen quite often during the winter.
Potamos village is the port on this small island, with a total population. One cafe/taverna is also used as a grocery store.
The excellent Greek Reporter news sent their reporter Tasos Kokkinidis in August 2019 - Where the Aegean meets the Ionian Sea, there is an isolated but magical island almost unknown to the rest of the world. However, with a population of about 20 people, life is very different on Antikythera.
To read more, here is the whole story including a YouTube presentation of Antikithira Island. Fascinating.
Where to stay and more Anticythera information, check out Anticythera Destination.
Anticythera How to get here
by Ferry
You can get to Anticythera Island by ferry from the neighbouring island of Kythira, or from the smallish port of Kissamos in Crete.
There are also regular ferry crossings (3 times a week) to Antikythera from the port of Piraeus and the ports of the south Peloponnese (Gythio)
