No One Saw It Coming The First Computer Was Greek (And Shipwrecked)
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Dec 1, 2025 Dr. Tatiana Burr, an ancient Greek cultural historian, dives into the captivating story of the Antikythera mechanism, hailed as the world's first computer. She shares how it was unearthed from a shipwreck by sponge divers over a century ago. The discussion covers the intricacies of its gears and functions, revealing advanced ancient engineering. Tatiana challenges the lone-genius myth, highlighting the collaboration between cultures that led to this remarkable device. Her insights transform our understanding of ancient technology and civilization.
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Sponge Divers Found The Mechanism
- Greek sponge divers in 1900–1901 pulled up statues and a corroded chunk of bronze from a shipwreck near Antikythera.
- They nearly discarded the metal until they noticed faint Greek inscriptions that saved it for study.
Price Branded It The World's First Computer
- Derek de Solla Price analysed the gears and argued the device processed astronomical cycles, calling it the "world's first computer" in 1959.
- His work reframed the object from mysterious bronze to an ancient computing mechanism.
Complex Gearing Modeled The Heavens
- The Antikythera contains about 69 precision gears that model planetary motion and zodiacal positions in a shoebox-sized case.
- Its complexity surprised scholars and expanded views on ancient Greek technological skill.