In Our Time: Science — The Antikythera Mechanism

Host: Melvyn Bragg (D)
Guests: Mike Edmonds (E), Lieber Taub (F), Joe Marchant (C)
Date: December 12, 2024

Main Theme

This episode dives deeply into the Antikythera mechanism, the astonishing ancient Greek analogue computer salvaged from a 2,000-year-old shipwreck. The panel explores its discovery, operation, historical context, technological significance, possible makers and users, and the profound implications it has on our understanding of scientific, philosophical, and technological developments in antiquity.

1. What is the Antikythera Mechanism?

(02:47 – 03:47)

• Joe Marchant: Describes the mechanism as a wooden box (shoebox-sized) filled with interlocking bronze gears, complete with dials and a hand crank.
• It displayed a ‘model of the universe’:
  • Movements of the sun, moon, and planets
  • A star calendar
  • Timing of athletic games (including Olympics)
  • Eclipse prediction dial
• Users could move forward or backward in time to see cosmic events for any date.

“It was essentially a... model of the universe, a little portable cosmos.” (C, 03:24)

2. Discovery and Salvage

(03:47 – 05:58)

• Found in 1900–1901 by Greek sponge divers off Antikythera, a small island between mainland Greece and Crete.
• Divers first reported seeing “a heap of dead, naked women and horses”—actually statues among shipwreck cargo.
• Salvage yielded statues, luxury items, armour, and later, the corroded bronze lump with the mechanism.
• The salvage was the first ancient shipwreck recovered under archaeological supervision—a landmark for marine archaeology.

3. The Ship and Its Cargo: Why Was the Mechanism There?

(05:58 – 07:56)

• Mike Edmonds: The ship likely traveled common trade routes between Greece and Italy, possibly carrying the belongings of a wealthy individual relocating.
• Mechanism seen as a high-status object, “a statement about what the Greeks knew... about the universe,” perhaps a status symbol, “a talking point.” (E, 06:56)
• Suggests that showing an interest in celestial phenomena brought respect and “a bit of immortality” in Greek thought.

4. Early Study and Technical Challenges

(07:56 – 09:42)

• Preservation was problematic; wood lost, bronze changed.
• Greek inscriptions on its plates provided vital astronomical clues.
• Spiridon Stais’ recognition of the gears in the museum basement catalyzed its serious study.
• Only with the advent of X-ray and radiology in the 1960s did its engineering brilliance and internal complexity become apparent.

5. Understanding Ancient Astronomy

(09:42 – 11:47)

• Lieber Taub: Insights from Geminus’ “Introduction to the Phenomena” (1st century BC) reveal astronomy was seen as a mathematical discipline, focusing on observable phenomena.
• Greeks distinguished between “fixed stars” and “wanderers” (planets, sun, moon).
• The challenge was to explain irregular planetary motions, a core concern in Greek astronomy.

“The book seems to be educational, it’s possibly even a textbook... It doesn’t seem... only for specialists.” (F, 11:57)

6. The Mechanism’s Functions and Calculations

(12:26 – 15:05)

• Derek de Solla Price (1950s–70s): Established the mechanism was much more than an astrolabe.
• Used X-rays to uncover the detailed layout of the gears inside, counting teeth and identifying gear ratios.
• A notable mathematical ratio converted sun movements to moon movements, showing advanced calculations encoded physically.

“It was as spectacular as if the opening of Tutankhamun’s tomb had revealed the remains of an internal combustion engine.” (C, paraphrasing Price, 14:09)

7. Visualizing the Cosmos Mechanically

(15:05 – 16:17)

• The mechanism allows visualization of planetary and lunar motions using gear trains—suggesting celestial mechanics need not be attributed to gods, but could be comprehended as rational, mechanical processes.
• Missing parts likely modeled planetary (retrograde) motion—known from inscriptions and theoretical reconstruction.

8. Who Made It? Collaboration and Craft

(17:23 – 18:48)

• Probably a workshop effort; required skills in astronomy, calendar calculation, arts, and advanced gear-cutting metalwork.
• Some functions (e.g., the games dial) suggest a mix of cultural, calendrical, and astronomical information.

“So I think it probably makes sense to think of the object as a product of collaboration, possibly even what we might think of as a workshop.” (F, 17:28)

9. The Greek Holistic View

(18:48 – 19:57)

• Astronomy, astrology, calendars, and cultural events (like the Olympics) were intertwined in Greek thought, all united in this model.
• The games dial may have helped users orient to local calendars and important social cycles.

10. Philosophical and Historical Influences

(20:29 – 23:09)

• Posidonius (Stoic philosopher, Rhodes) credited by Cicero for making a similar device.
• Archimedes (earlier, Sicily) may have inspired the tradition of mechanical modeling, though he could not have made this specific device.
• Hipparchus (Rhodes, 2nd century BC): Developed mathematical theories of lunar motion, possibly foundational for the mechanism’s gearwork.

11. The Theory-Practice Relationship

(23:09 – 25:14)

• Technology and theory likely informed each other.
• Mechanisms tested and refined theoretical models of celestial movements; theory inspired new mechanical designs.

“There must have been a two way trade between building these devices and developing the theories that went with them.” (E, 23:25)

12. Purpose and Social Context

(25:17 – 29:42)

• Possible uses:
  • Status symbol or “conversation piece” at an elite symposium or dinner party (F, 25:17)
  • Philosophical or educational demonstration of cosmic order
  • Practical calendar and event timer
• Designs for amusement and technical marvels—sometimes compared to automata or novelty drinking cups—were present in other Greek and Roman works.

“It was absolutely about understanding... the nature of cosmos, reality, our relationship with that universe.” (C, 27:13)

13. Modern Rediscovery and Research Advances

(29:42 – 31:53)

• Michael Wright and Alan Bromley (1980s): Used tomography to reveal the 3D gear layout; identified epicyclic gearing (looping planetary motion) and spiral dials.
• Modern Collaborations (2000s): Led by Mike Edmonds and Tony Freeth, advanced CT scanning and imaging allowed detailed digital reconstructions, leading to new insights (e.g., eclipse prediction dial).

14. Intellectual and Cultural Implications

(31:53 – 34:26)

• The device represents the era's rich intellectual culture—multiple competing cosmologies (geocentric, heliocentric) and the transition from a polytheistic to a more rational, mechanical understanding of the universe.
• Uses symbolic elements that echo much older traditions (e.g., chariot wheels symbolizing the sun).

15. Historical Documentation

(34:26 – 36:28)

• Ancient writers like Geminus, Vitruvius, Cicero, Galen referenced related astronomical or mechanical instruments, but no surviving text describes anything matching the mechanism’s sophistication.

16. Legacy, Impact, and Survival

(36:28 – 42:15)

• Without the mechanism, we might underestimate Greek technological ingenuity.
• Gearing technology resurfaces in Byzantine and Islamic instruments, then reappears “full-blown” in European astronomical clocks of the 14th century.
• Debate continues whether knowledge transfer was continuous or was independently rediscovered after being lost.

“If we didn’t have the Antikythera mechanism, I think we wouldn’t realize that... those technologies which have often been credited to the Europeans... actually go all the way back to ancient Greece.” (C, 38:21)

17. Unanswered Questions & Hopes

(42:15 – 43:45)

• Who exactly commissioned, made, and owned the device?
• Are other similar objects waiting to be found—perhaps in another Mediterranean shipwreck or villa?
• Much knowledge is lost: missing books, instruments, and the human dimension of the device’s creators and users.

18. Bonus Material: Further Reflections & Insights

(44:10 – 51:20)

• The episode’s “extra time” segment explores:
  • The persistent myth that Greeks disdained practical engineering—disproved by the Antikythera mechanism (F, 44:10)
  • The presence of older cosmic symbols in the gear design, highlighting the blend of scientific and cultural continuity (E, 45:14)
  • The mechanism’s sophisticated design, such as modeling the moon’s varying speed with an off-center pin-and-slot system—indicative of generations of iterative development (C, 46:25)
  • The influence of Babylonian astronomy on Greek theory and the mechanism’s cycles (C, 50:06)

Notable Quotes

• “It was as spectacular as if the opening of Tutankhamun’s tomb had revealed the remains of an internal combustion engine.” (C, 14:09; paraphrasing de Solla Price)
• “...you don’t have to have gods pushing the planets round... Maybe look here, you can do it by gear wheels and things. And surely that leads you on to great philosophical speculations about what the universe is really like.” (E, 15:06)
• “It was absolutely about understanding and exploring the nature of cosmos, reality, our relationship with that universe.” (C, 27:13)
• “That’s the surprising thing... that the Greeks could do that.” (E, 48:13)
• “You couldn’t make this as your first mechanism. It was too sophisticated... it had to have been the product of generations of work.” (C, 48:15)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• What is the mechanism? 02:47–03:47
• Discovery narrative: 03:47–05:58
• Why on the ship? 05:58–07:56
• Early curiosity and study: 07:56–09:42
• Greek astronomy in context: 09:42–12:26
• Derek de Solla Price study: 12:26–15:05
• Visualization of the cosmic order: 15:05–16:17
• Making the mechanism: 17:23–18:48
• Use and significance: 25:17–29:42
• Modern research leaps: 29:42–31:53
• Later mechanical legacy: 36:28–42:15
• Bonus insights: 44:10–51:20

Conclusion

The Antikythera mechanism was a microcosm—technologically, intellectually, and culturally—of its time: a dazzling demonstration of Greek craftsmanship and theoretical know-how, vital for our understanding of the roots of modern science and engineering. Its rediscovery and study have revolutionized perceptions of ancient Greek technological capabilities and revealed the deep interweaving of philosophy, science, and society in the ancient world.