Ancient Greek calculator

[Jedi Master Spock]

A recent study investigating an ancient Greek calculator hit the news recently.

I'll summarize what it is, and what it does.

It's a complex geared mechanism; it adds, subtracts, multiplies, divides, and calculates astronomical cycles for the Earth, our sun, our moon, the stars as seen from Earth, and quite possibly the planets.

It uses forms of gears not seen in modern Europe until the 16th century. The first mechanical adding machine of the modern Western world was built in the early 17th century; the first machine capable of handling multiplication and division was not built until the beginning of the 19th century.

The first calculator that wasn't a one-off device (the Greek calculator in question did not appear to be) was built in 1820; the arithmometer had a tendency to slip a little and was the size of a desk. By the mid-19th century, a fairly reliable mechanical calculator the mere size of 46x23x10 cm was available which also could calculate square roots.

The ancient Greek mechanism found at Antikthera, dating to the first century BCE - 1900 years earlier - was 33x17x9 cm, half the size and every bit as sophisticated in its operations. (No "sqrt" function, but a large number of built-in astronomical algorithms.) In other words, this device would have been marketable commercially into the late 19th century. I'm frankly impressed.

Just a reminder that techological progress is not always forwards - and that not all types of technology advance equally... you can think of a few things that, had the Greeks mastered to the level of 19th century Europe, would have caused history to take a remarkably different course.