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Since its discovery over a hundred years ago, the Antikythera mechanisma 2,000-year-old mechanical computer recovered from an ancient shipwreck off the coast of Greecehas been one of the most remarkable mysteries in archaeology, and new research may reveal further clues about its purpose.

A new study published last week in the Horological Journal reveals fresh details about the ancient Antikythera mechanism, a sophisticated hand-operated mechanical computer discovered in 1901 near the Greek island of Antikythera.

Divers exploring a sunken shipwreck found the shoebox-sized device, which dates back to the second century BCE. Although fragmented and heavily corroded, its intricate gears hinted at a complex mechanism that appears to predict eclipses and calculate the astronomical positions of planets.

Now, recent research by scientists at the University of Glasgow (UG) has provided new insights into the mechanisms so-called calendar ring. Utilizing statistical analysis techniques, the researchers determined that the ring most likely contained 354 holes, aligning with the lunar calendar rather than the Egyptian or other 360-day calendars.

Graham Woan, a professor at UGs School of Physics & Astronomy spearheaded the study after getting an unusual tip from a colleague. Towards the end of last year, a colleague pointed to me to data acquired by YouTuber Chris Budiselic, who was looking to make a replica of the calendar ring and was investigating ways to determine just how many holes it contained, Woan said in a UG statement.

It struck me as an interesting problem, Woan added. I set about using some statistical techniques to answer the question.

Woan applied Bayesian analysis, which quantifies uncertainty based on incomplete data, revealed that the ring likely had 354 or 355 holes, based on the positions of the surviving holes and the placement of the rings six remaining fragments.

Dr. Joseph Bayley, a research associate at UGs Institute for Gravitational Research and co-author of the paper, added to the study by applying techniques used in gravitational wave detection to further analyze the ring. By adapting methods from the LIGO detectors, which measure spacetime ripples caused by astronomical events, Bayley scrutinized the calendar ring using Markov Chain Monte Carlo and nested sampling methods.

The results confirmed the high probability of a 354-hole ring within a radius of 77.1mm, with a radial variation of just 0.028mm between each hole, showcasing the extraordinary precision of the ancient Greek artisans who crafted the device.

The precision of the holes positioning would have required highly accurate measurement techniques and an incredibly steady hand to punch them, Bayley said. This precision reinforces the notion that the Antikythera mechanism was used to track the lunar calendar.

Its a neat symmetry that weve adapted techniques we use to study the universe today to understand more about a mechanism that helped people keep track of the heavens nearly two millennia ago, Woan said.

The study sheds light on the remarkable craftsmanship behind the Antikythera mechanism and its use in ancient Greece. We hope that our findings, although less supernaturally spectacular than those made by Indiana Jones, will help deepen our understanding of how this remarkable device was made and used by the Greeks, Woan added.

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John Loeffler John is a writer and programmer living in New York City. He writes about computers, gadgetry, gaming, VR/AR, and related consumer technologies. You can find him on Twitter @thisdotjohn

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New analysis helps solve mystery of ancient Greek computer - Interesting Engineering