Conclusions from the Functional Reconstruction of the Antikythera Mechanism

Abstract

After a careful examination of the Antikythera Mechanism computed tomography scans from the Antikythera Mechanism Research Project, we designed and constructed the mechanical parts that are visible on the computed tomography scans. We then reconstructed two functional models of the Antikythera Mechanism, and in this paper, we present the observations and the conclusions drawn from their use. The use of these models helped us to understand how the Mechanism worked and provided answers to questions regarding the presence and the use of some parts.

Renumbering of the Antikythera Mechanism Saros Cells, Resulting From the Saros Spiral Mechanical Apokatastasis

“…The Antikythera Mechanism design illustrates the principle of the Geometry and the Symmetry. For example, consider the axis-b in located on the central area of the Front plate, the Lunar Disc, the annual gear b1 and the Golden sphere-Sun rotated around this center (Voulgaris et al, 2018b). The two centers of the Egyptian and Zodiac month dial scale rings coincided with the axis-b in .…”

“…Most of the Mechanism axes are supported on the Middle and the Back plate opposite holes (except the self-supported on the Middle plate, small diameter gears c1,2 and l1,2 which have very short length axis). The holes on the Back plate can be easily detected on the visual photographs (on Fragment A2, holes for axes f, g, h (Voulgaris et al, 2018b) and on Fragment B for axis n) and on the AMRP tomographies (for axes i and o).…”

“…Some of the cells had engraved information relating to eclipse events -solar and lunar eclipses and the time they occurred (Freeth et al 2006;Freeth et al, 2008;Antikythera Mechanism Research Project, Anastasiou et al, 2016). The Saros pointer transited all of the cells after 241.029 full rotations (sidereal) of the Lunar Disk, which is the proper mechanical handling Input of the Mechanism (Voulgaris et al, 2018b;Roumeliotis 2018). Because of the strong and deep corrosion of the Mechanism's material, the broken Saros spiral is partially preserved in three parts (Fragments A, F and E), representing about 30% of the original part.…”