Wright State University CORE Scholar

Classics Ancient Science Fair Religion, Philosophy, and Classics

Spring 2020

The Antikythera Mechanism

Aladsair Turnbull Wright State University - Main Campus, [email protected]

Follow this and additional works at: https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/ancient_science_fair

Part of the Ancient History, Greek and Roman through Late Antiquity Commons, and the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine Commons

Repository Citation Turnbull , A. (2020). The Antikythera Mechanism. Dayton, Ohio.

This Poster is brought to you for free and open access by the Religion, Philosophy, and Classics at CORE Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Classics Ancient Science Fair by an authorized administrator of CORE Scholar. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE ANTIKYTHERA MECHANISM BY: ALASDAIR TURNBULL, HST 4000-01, DR. EDWARDS The mechanism was retrieved from a shipwreck off the coast of Antikythera in 1901. The structure of the mechanism was the subject of debate among scholars for many years after the initial discovery. Little is known about the maker of the device and there is still disagreement regarding certain pieces of the mechanism. Close study of the fragments (Shown to the right) allowed many models to be designed. Lin and Yan Models Operation

After Wright’s Model, researchers Jian- • The device (as shown in the " . --- ...: ,,;1r:l'W~-·-· !.;,f Liang Lin and Hong-Sen Yan created 48 computer recreation to the right) ' computer-generated models of the was relatively simple to operate, device. As shown below, their models overall. The user would first have to showed the epicyclic gear system of the rotate the outermost front dial to

SUN mechanism set the correct date, also setting the INF ERIOR SUPERIOR ------~

.-V610 UtC 8 '8l 00' back panel. To begin simulating r future cycles, the user only had to -d • Wright Model • turn a large crank attached to the 2 Shown above, the Wright Model was the side of the mechanism. The only earliest representation of the device problem which the user had to be Conclusions developed by Michael Wright. The " . , " aware of was the possibility that The origins of the device may remain largely " I " ." when the front dial reached the model features pointers for 5 planets, • unknown but study on the mysterious I • • the moon, the sun, and a separate final month of its cycle, the back mechanism is still ongoing and much can still be dial would need to be moved learned about Ancient Greek technology marker for the date. "'"' rtOOU Aet.11'12" """ r nl151 Lb ~ae forward. following the discovery of this device. Images: https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21139569, Written: Bruderer, Herbert. “The Antikythera Mechanism.” Communications of the ACM, vol. 63, no. 4, Bruderer, Herbert. “The Antikythera Mechanism.” Communications of the ACM, vol. 63, no. 4, 1 Apr. 2020, pp. 114. doi:10.1145/3368855. 1 Apr. 2020, pp. 108–115., doi:10.1145/3368855. Sources: Bruderer, Herbert. “The Antikythera Mechanism.” Communications of the ACM, vol. 63, no. 4, 1 Apr. 2020, pp. 109. doi:10.1145/3368855. Lin, Jian-Liang, and Hong-Sen Yan. Decoding the Mechanisms of Antikythera Astronomical Bruderer, Herbert. “The Antikythera Mechanism.” Communications of the ACM, vol. 63, no. 4, Device. Springer, 2016. EBSCOhost, 1 Apr. 2020, pp. 111. doi:10.1145/3368855. search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cat01902a&AN=wsu.b3911584&site=eds-live