In 1900 a group of sponge divers blown off course in the Mediterranean discovered an Ancient Greek shipwreck dating from around 70 BC. Lying unnoti...
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Mar 04, 2011
jeremy
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decoding the heavens recounts the discovery of the antikythera mechanism, arguably the most remarkable archaeological find in human history. a mechanical computer dating from the second century bce, it was recovered from an ancient mediterranean shipwreck by greek sponge divers in 1900 (after nearly 2,000 years of submersion). its function, however, would elude academics, researchers, computer scientists, and archaeologists for still another century.
whoever turned the handle on the sideMore...
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Nov 05, 2009
Linda
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Three encrusted bronze fragments collected from a wreck along the coast of Antikythera in 1900 by Greek sponge divers in a tiny boat, languished in a cardboard box in the National Archeological Museum in Athens for decades. The Antikythera mechanism may be the first analog computer, built about 80 BC. This predates clockwork mechanisms in wide public use by millennium, and challenges the long-held belief that such science originated in Europe. Its purity of design and build imply that it is not
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Mar 28, 2011
Andrew
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This account of the scientific inquiries into a piece of ancient machinery dated to 60-70 BC reads a bit like a Dan Brown novel -- but the story is non-fiction. Drama builds right up to the end, when the magazine Nature published the results of the Antikythera Research Project in November, 2006.
Successive teams of competing researchers have added to knowledge of one of the first known astronomical computers:
* Originally recovered from a wreck off Antikythera Island in 1900, D More...
Successive teams of competing researchers have added to knowledge of one of the first known astronomical computers:
* Originally recovered from a wreck off Antikythera Island in 1900, D More...
Jan 17, 2012
Andres
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Top notch book that chronicles the discovery and decipherment of a device that proves to the modern world that assumptions about the low level of technical achievement in the ancient world are very wrong.
I first read about the Antikythera mechanism in an article written by Tony Freeth (who is profiled in the book). [I read the article in this anthology, but a PDF version, with all the illustrations, can easily be found online.]
After reading the article I looked online for More...
I first read about the Antikythera mechanism in an article written by Tony Freeth (who is profiled in the book). [I read the article in this anthology, but a PDF version, with all the illustrations, can easily be found online.]
After reading the article I looked online for More...
Jan 17, 2012
Peter
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Definately an interesting book in what it contains rather than the book itself. The mechanism gives an insight into the possibilities that might have existed, and also totally changed the way that I saw the ancient world.
I, like most people used to tend to think of the ancient world as this place where the most advanced science and tech was a rather nice plumbing and heating system that we caught up to technologically in the 14th century. This book reminds us all that in reality, the More...
I, like most people used to tend to think of the ancient world as this place where the most advanced science and tech was a rather nice plumbing and heating system that we caught up to technologically in the 14th century. This book reminds us all that in reality, the More...
Jan 17, 2012
David
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This is a combination Roman-era history work, archaeological study, mathematical analysis, and detective novel, all rolled into one -- but written more engagingly than any book of history, archaeology, math or forensic analysis.
Marchant studies what is now known as the "Antikythera mechanism", a remarkable archaeological find dating back to 70-60BC. After more than a century of on-again, off-again study, scholars finally (in 2005) concluded that it is an extremely sophisti More...
Marchant studies what is now known as the "Antikythera mechanism", a remarkable archaeological find dating back to 70-60BC. After more than a century of on-again, off-again study, scholars finally (in 2005) concluded that it is an extremely sophisti More...
Apr 20, 2010
Genevieve
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Absolutely fascinating story: an ancient Greek geared mechanism found in a shipwreck, and the struggle by various researchers to figure out what it was, working from a corroded and fragmented artifact. The writing is accessible and lively; at times a little too journalist-y for my tastes, but very readable. I now really want to go see the tower of the winds in Athens (as well as the Antikythera mechanism itself.)
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Oct 03, 2010
Josh
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A fascinating book. It describes the quest to understand the antikythera device, (an ancient Greek mechanism, fragments of which were recovered from a shipwreck early in the 20th century). While it can be dry in spots, it's still a fast, interesting read. Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in history, scientific mechanisms, or gadgets.
Sep 14, 2009
Paul
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The tale of a sequence of investigators all trying to determine the purpose of a unique bronze artifact recovered from a shipwreck many decades ago.
It was fascinating to me to see how insightful so many individuals were with the limited information available to them, and the distinct ways in which they got details wrong.
It was fascinating to me to see how insightful so many individuals were with the limited information available to them, and the distinct ways in which they got details wrong.
Jan 17, 2012
Ed
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I've seen this device discussed in numerous sources over the years, usually in those out-there aliens built the pyramids books & tv shows (of which, I admit, I am a voracious reader/watcher). This book lives up to its promise of providing a seemingly solid solution to this fragmentary technological marvel. The first part of the book, describing how the device was unwittingly recovered from an ancient shipwreck, by sponge divers using primitive scuba equipment, and also raising a trove of marbles
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Sep 12, 2010
MikeFromQueens
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Yes - remarkable facts revealed in this easy-to-read description of solving the riddle of ancient engineering. Our ancestors are more brilliant than we can imagine, and we are less for being unable to do and know the things they accomplished. Another example of the ash-heap of history, and a treasure discovered.
Jan 17, 2012
Amanda
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Another of my bargain dollar books, I was expecting more of a "aliens" and "Nostradamus" style book. I was pleasantly surprised to find it was really a history of how history is written, and my inner (and outer) historian was greatly pleased.
I'm not a mathematician by any means, so a lot of it was a bit of complicated discussions that I really tried hard to understand. Ultimately, the determination of what the device did wasn't as important to the enjoyment of the b More...
I'm not a mathematician by any means, so a lot of it was a bit of complicated discussions that I really tried hard to understand. Ultimately, the determination of what the device did wasn't as important to the enjoyment of the b More...
Jan 17, 2012
Natalie
rated it:
Aussergewöhnlich spritzig und packend geschriebener Tatsachenbericht.
1901 (!) wurde von Schwammtauchern vor der Küste der griechischen Insel Antikythera ein unscheinbarer, rätselhafter, und nur noch in Bruchstücken erhaltener Apparat gefunden.
Dieser Antikythera-Mechanismus wurde nun studiert und analysiert. Es handelt sich dabei um einen ca. 40cm großen, mechanischen Computer, der die Bewegung der Himmelskörper umfassend und präzise anzeigte.
Die Story liest sich wie More...
1901 (!) wurde von Schwammtauchern vor der Küste der griechischen Insel Antikythera ein unscheinbarer, rätselhafter, und nur noch in Bruchstücken erhaltener Apparat gefunden.
Dieser Antikythera-Mechanismus wurde nun studiert und analysiert. Es handelt sich dabei um einen ca. 40cm großen, mechanischen Computer, der die Bewegung der Himmelskörper umfassend und präzise anzeigte.
Die Story liest sich wie More...
Jul 07, 2011
Eric
rated it:
Changes your perception of the ancient world, technology and what might have been. A lump of bronze that could have easily been lost or ignored, had to wait until sophisticated 3D X-ray technology could help tell the story of the earliest computer.
Jan 17, 2012
Jay
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I was quite pleasantly surprised with this book. I was honestly expecting something drab, dull, dry, and other d-describing words. What I found was something that was particularly fun to read, that made it into a story, full of interesting and fun characters.
I can't help but feel that perhaps Marchant was blatantly on the side of Wright, while demonising the others who tried to investigate the device. That was jut a feeling I got as I was reading it.
Also, I found the last More...
I can't help but feel that perhaps Marchant was blatantly on the side of Wright, while demonising the others who tried to investigate the device. That was jut a feeling I got as I was reading it.
Also, I found the last More...
Jan 24, 2012
Littlelixie
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I loved this book - a mixture of intrigue, history and mechanics with wholly believable scientific internal politics. Very interesting and well written.
Dec 04, 2011
Jossalyn
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Saw the mechanism in athens- went to the author discussion at the Getty villa- had to read the book. Must be one of the.most interesting objects in the world!
May 22, 2011
jeffrey
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fascinating read, marred only by some jarring stylistic idiosyncrasies. By all means, go and read it!
May 11, 2009
B. Drew
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Who knew ancient people were intelligent, industrious and technologically inclined?
May 04, 2011
Penny
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I actually finished this months ago. It is the story of the Antikythera mechanism and it has totally altered the way I think of the Greek world. I wish someone would make this into a movie like The Red Violin, following the mechanism from the moment of its making, going into the depths on an ill-fated ship, serendipitously found by divers who went off course in a storm, boxed and forgotten and rediscovered. It really is an incredible story, and I love that in reading it one learns about so many
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Jan 17, 2012
Alicia
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While it felt a little too simply written at times, this book did everything I wanted -- which is to say, it talked about the ancient Greek clockwork and purpose of the long-mysterious Antikythera mechanism.
I'm going to say that again for emphasis: ancient Greek clockwork!
Bits of scuba history, ancient astronomy, and reams of academic betrayal flank the general narrative, and the thing never felt like a burden to read.
I'm going to say that again for emphasis: ancient Greek clockwork!
Bits of scuba history, ancient astronomy, and reams of academic betrayal flank the general narrative, and the thing never felt like a burden to read.
Mar 20, 2010
Bill
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This book is about a 2000 year old astronomical computer found in a shipwreck in 1901. It is about the people who found it and the scientists who decoded its purpose and speculation about the state of technology at that period. This subject in different hands could have made awful reading, instead, the author writes an entertaining and lucid account about what could have been a very dry subject. Read it.
Jan 17, 2012
Nicola
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What an interesting read! Made me realise how little I know about the ancient Greeks and even more sad that so much knowledge has been lost over time.
Very well written and engaging, an easy read, considering the subject matter is sometimes quite complicated.
Would recommend to anyone interested in history, archaeology, ancient technology...
Very well written and engaging, an easy read, considering the subject matter is sometimes quite complicated.
Would recommend to anyone interested in history, archaeology, ancient technology...
Jan 17, 2012
Though it is more than 2,000 years old, the Antikythera Mechanism represents a level that our technology did not match until the 18th century, and must therefore rank as one of the greatest basic mechanical inventions of all time. I hope this book will rekindle interest in this artefact, which still remains under-rated. - Arthur C. Clarke
Jan 17, 2012
Dante
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Interesting account of the "Antikythera mechanism", without Fortean Times/Chariot of the Gods perspective. Looks back at the history of the mechanism, and with it, some of the history of early scientific and technological advancement. Personalizes the the scientists involved for better or for worse.
Jan 17, 2012
Laura
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Very cool. Sometimes the descriptions get a little too complicated (I wish there were more drawings or schematics!), but, overall, this book was really fascinating.
