http://youtu.be/-KO4-zx9buc
http://youtu.be/-KO4-zx9buc
Two millennium ago the ancient Greeks were inventing the foundation for our technology ~ The insight into the Antikythera Machine and Archimedes is so fascinating, Johannes – thank you for sharing it ~ It shows Archimedes immense understanding of time, the sun, moon and our universe. I will think of him also when looking at my odometer, another one of his inventions and the bird water clock is wonderful as well !
WOW!! – this is truly amazing!! —
As one of the oldest geared mechanisms in history that was designed to be an analog computer (imagine that!) – tracking the astronomical positions of the sun, moon and stars….with such accuracy…..this is a great discovery indeed! –
Named after the nearby Greek island where it was discovered, Antikithera — between Crete and the Peloponisos – it was said to be the oldest known complex gear system which is highly calibrated to map the astronomical positions in the sky and the motions of our Earth – and based on it, came the astronomical clocks of the 17th century……and coming from the Hellenistic Era….its directions and zodiac symbols are all written in Koine Greek…..(one of the older dialects) – for ex: ΣΚΟΡΠΙΟΣ (Skorpios) – for Scorpius or IΧΘΕIΣ (Ichthis for Pisces) —
Its link to Archimedes also is very significant – who was one of the greatest minds of the Hellenistic era, Age of Antiquity
In fact: Archimedes, a little known fact, was formally known as “Archimedes of Syracuse” — who was actually of Greek Sicilian heritage!!…..(Ellinikos apo tin Sikelias) — ITS TRUE!! – and was from the city of Syracuse, (In Italian: Siracusa -In Greek: SYRAKOUZAS – In Sicilian: Saravusa) located in Southeastern Sicily and was one of the very first and most prominent of all Greek colonies of “Magna Grecia” – (Great Greece, which extends from Southern Italy, into the island of Sicily…) — in fact, Syracuse….2,700 years old — was regarded as one of the most greatest of Greek city-states of the Hellenistic period….rivaling that of “Athens” itself!!!! – having a rich Greek history and heritage – considered one of UNESCO’s “World Heritage” sites…..
Also, interesting, is that much of the Greek settlers from this part of Sicilia were originally from Corinth, Greece (Korinthos) — and there is a connection with the antikthera in that regard too!!