The belief in our own technological superiority is amazing. The past was primitive an we are great. Such thoughts are necessary to support the illusion of our belief in a relatively linear technological development. Thatâ??s why I like it when artifacts from the past blow huge holes in our theories of superiority. One such example is the device known as the Antikythera Mechanism (I blogged about this in October last year).
The interpretation and re-interpretation of the meaning and purpose of the Mechanism have been ongoing since its discovery. Recent developments show:
The Antikythera Mechanism is a unique Greek geared device, constructed around the end of the second century bc. It is known that it calculated and displayed celestial information, particularly cycles such as the phases of the moon and a luni-solar calendarâ?¦We find a mechanical realization of this theory in the gearing of the mechanism, revealing an unexpected degree of technical sophistication for the period. (Nature)
For a longer piece on the new interpretations of the Mechanism read this article, and this one, and finally this one all from the New York Times online.