Computers entered our lives relatively recently. For those years that they are familiar simple peopleThese devices have passed a large evolutionary path: changed both externally and internally. However, they are all very far from their "progenitor": comparing the modern computer and the ancient, the similarities will not be found. The distant ancestor of the PC, invented by the ancient Greeks of more than two thousand years ago, looked quite differently than the usual one. He had a dial, gear and arrows. Nothing in common. Of course, this device is considered to be sufficiently conditionally, because the program input was not invented. But we can safely call it an ancient calculator, because it could perform various calculations, albeit the most complicated manipulations. But, one way or another, he evolved to a full-fledged device for arithmetic operations, although only its functionality was not limited to them. So, Meet -.

The idea of \u200b\u200bahead of the epoch

The name of his mechanism was received in honor of the island of Antikiter, in the area of \u200b\u200bwhich was discovered in 1900. Researchers then could not believe their eyes. The relics they seized from the sunken ship, which had long disappeared in the depths of the Aegean Sea. Judging by the coins found on the vessel, built it in 100 BC. But in terms of the complexity, the said mechanism corresponds to no less than a new time!

Probably lived in Ancient Greece Genius, whose thoughts were ahead of the epoch. It is amazing that in the future the craftsmen of that time were trying to recreate the anti-car mechanism, however, such accuracy could not achieve for a thousand years. Experts who studied him from the century to the century came to the conclusion that authorship can belong to the posider, astronomer and philosopher from the island of Rhodes, the teacher of the famous Cicero. Cicero himself told about the similar device created by Archimensional (this can be read about this in his treatise "On the State"). Other scientists suggest that the creation of the "Calculator" put the hand by Astronomer Hipparch.

The first relatively successful attempt to reconstruct the anti-seater mechanism was undertaken in 1959 by Derek Plyus. With the help of a talented watchmaker John Gill, he managed to build a copy of the device with a differential transmission.

Only in the middle of the 20th century, Greek scientists together with British and American colleagues managed to reproduce the most fully exterior appearance Ancient finding and install, finally, its purpose. X-ray tomography came to the aid. In 2005, the research team led by Professor Mike Edmunds as part of the Antikythera Mechanism Research Project project has deciphered almost all the inscriptions on the ancient find.

What did the ancient Greeks for the "computer"

It turned out that the mechanism was served to determine the start date of the Olympic Games. Archaeologists believe that he was in all major settlementswhere the athletes lived. Of course, the day he chose not by chance: the device should have to count the four-year cycle with high accuracy. For this, in turn, it was necessary to determine the movement of celestial bodies.

The anti-car mechanism did not simply calculate the position of the Sun and the Moon, calculated the time of the eclipse (both solar and lunar), but also covered all the planets at the time at the time (and the ancient Greeks managed to "meet" with Mars, Mercury, Saturn, Venus and Jupiter ). Presumably with its help it was found that the lunar orbit has an elliptical form. And with such a functionality, the use of an anti-car mechanism has spread to other games. With his help, the cycles of Delphic competitions and games in Corinth were considered. Modern man Could take this device for the antique calendar, although it was not possible to use it in force not everyone.

Antique computer science lesson: how the 2000-year-old computer works

Several dozen miniature gears are unusually adjusted to each other. The movement of the handle - and the mechanism is running! On the front dials you could see the days of the year and signs of the zodiac. The control was carried out with the help of the same handle, with which researchers set the desired date. As a result, the anti-car mechanism issued many interesting astronomical information.

This device is 80 g. BC. It was found at the bottom of the sea, on board an ancient Greek vessel and is considered the most ancient computer. With a thorough examination of the oldest computer of the planet, the Earth, the famous anticipheral mechanism, scientists have found that it still works.

The device made by the ancient Greeks 2000 years ago was discovered among the wreckage of the sunken Roman shipping ship off the coast of Ankifer Island and were named at the place of find. As researchers recently found out, this device was used to calculate solar and lunar cycles. In addition, scientists believe that with its help, the ancient Greeks have calculated the movement of the planets known to them then: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. One of the participants of the working group, prof. Ivan Seyoradakis from the University of Aristotle in Fesaloniks stressed that this is a unique device that is as important for technology as far as Acropolis for architecture. " Nevertheless, not everyone agrees with the point of view of the group on the appointment of an ancient mechanism.

The detection of the device refers to 1902, when the archaeologist Valerios Stisis noticed among the artifacts raised from the sunken vessel, a strange construction of rusty gears. After that, fragments were discovered, and the scientist managed to restore the mechanism completely. In total, in the anti-kifer mechanism of 30 elements. The researchers believe that the design has been concluded in a wicked wooden casing, as well as a lever, with which the computer was activated. The origin of the device is still a mystery, but the inscriptions detected by X-ray analysis allow it to dawn it 150-100. to the new era. And this means that the device was designed by the Greeks long before the similar mechanisms appeared in other regions. Moreover, by technical characteristics It exceeds everything created over the next 1000 years.

For many years, the anti-kiferic mechanism has become a kind of puzzle for historians and archaeologists. Scattered fragments did not allow to assume how it looked initially. Everyone collected him in his own way and, therefore, in his own way interpreted his appointment.

X-ray picture of the mechanism

But the latest data obtained by X-ray radiation, apparently, most accurately determine the functionality of the device. On the front panel ancient computer Images were found, which are a Greek zodiac cycle and an Egyptian calendar, decorated in the form of concentric circles. In the rear, there are inscriptions that narrow about solar and lunar cycles, in particular, fixing solar and lunar eclipses. Prior to this opening, the use of an eclipse prediction device was only a hypothesis.

Unfortunately, a more detailed study of the principles of the device is complicated by the unifoxy initial number of rings and gears and a vorale, the whole device went to researchers or only part of it. But you can make a series of outputs.

The drawing of the mechanism obtained on the basis of x-ray pictures

For example, the moon passes some sections of its orbit faster due to the elliptical form of the latter. To take into account this unevenness and avoid mistakes, the developer of an ancient mechanism used the so-called planetary transmission, in which the outer gear rotates around the central one. The periods of rotation of the gears are calculated so that all the options are sized. "When you see this, it remains only to open your mouth from amazement," the head of the Prof. commented on find. Mike Edmunds.

In the process of radioscopy, a group of scientists could also read most of the inscriptions on the surface of the mechanism. This information suggests that the anti-kifer mechanism also described the movement of the planets.

Modern prototypes of the mechanism

If the Antikiferian mechanism really does meet the assistants assumptions, then further it follows that its work was based on the heliocentric theory of the device Solar system, very unusual for time, when most Greeks adhered to the opinion of Aristotle on the rotation of the universe around the Earth. According to Michael Wright, the keeper of the Engineering Department of the London Museum of Science, the mechanism may have been created at the Academy founded by Poseidonis's philosopher at the Greek Island of Rhodes. After all, later, his student Cicero described the device, in many respects resembling an anti-kiferic mechanism.

In 1900, on the eve of Easter, two vessels of sponges returned from the shores of Africa were anchored by the small Greek Island of Anti-Cake (Antikifer) in the Aegean Sea, located between the southern tip of mainland Greece - Peloponnese Peninsula - and Crete Island. There, at a depth of about 60 meters, the divers discovered the ruins of the ancient ship.

On the next year Greek archaeologists with the help of divers began the study of a sunken vessel, which turned out to be a Roman shopping ship, victims of circle around 80-50. BC. Numerous artifacts were raised from the bottom of the sea: bronze and marble statues, amphoras, etc. Among the found works of art - two masterpieces exhibited in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens: the bronze statue of the "Boys from Antique" (about 340 BC) and the so-called. "The head of the philosopher."

According to the most likely hypothesis, the ship went from the island of Rhodes, most likely, in Rome with trophies or diplomatic "gifts". As you know, the conquest of Greece Rome was accompanied by a systematic export of "cultural values" in Italy.

Among the items raised from the sunken ship, turned out to be a relative to corroded bronze, covered with lime deposits, received first for the fragment of the statue. In 1902, the archaeologist Valerios Stisis was engaged in studying. Clearing it from lime deposits, he, to his surprise, discovered a complex mechanism, like a sentry, with many bronze gears, residues of drive shafts and measuring scales. It was also possible to disassemble some inscriptions in ancient Greek.

After the 2000 years on the seabed, the mechanism reached us in a strongly damaged form. Wooden frame, on which he, apparently, was attached, completely collapsed. Metal parts were strongly deformed and underwent corrosion. In addition, many mechanism fragments were lost.

In 1903, the first official scientific publication was published in Athens with a description and photographs of the anti-car mechanism, as was called this device.

It took painstaking work on clearing the device, which continued not one decade. His reconstruction seemed almost hopeless thing, and he had long been poorly understood until he had attracted the attention of English physics and historian of Derek de Solla Prica (Derek J. De Solla Price). In 1959, the Journal of "Ancient Greek Computer" was published in the journal "SCIENTFIC AMERICAN", dedicated to the Anti-Citiza Mechanism, which became an important milestone in his study.

Price assumed that the anti-car mechanism was created about 85-80 BC. However, radiocarbon analysis (1971) and epigraphic studies of the inscriptions pushed the estimated time of its creation to 150-100. BC.

In 1971, Price, at the time, a professor of the history of science in Yale University, together with Harlampos Karakalos, a professor of nuclear physics from the Greek National Center for Research "Democritus", conducted a study of the Anti-Citizher Mechanism using X-ray and Gamma Radiography, which gave valuable information about Internal device configuration.

In 1974, in the article "Greek gears - a calendar computer BC Prily presented the theoretical model of the Anti-Steria Mechanism, based on which, Australian scientist Allan George Bromley from the University of Sydney and Watchmaker Frank Persion made the first acting model. A few years later, the British inventor John Ghaje, engaged in the manufacture of planetaries, constructed a more accurate pattern working according to the price list.

In 1978, the famous French explorer Jacques-Yves Kusto once again examined the place of the find, but did not find more the remains of the anti-track mechanism.

Michael Wright, an employee of the London Museum of Science and Imperial College in London, who applied the method of linear X-ray tomography to study the original fragments, introduced a great contribution to the Anti-System Mechanism. The first results of this study were presented in 1997, which made it possible to significantly adjust the conclusions of the price.

In 2005, the International Project "Antikythera Mechanism Research Project" started with the participation of scientists from Great Britain, Greece and the United States of America under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture of Greece. In the same 2005, the discovery of new mechanism fragments was announced. Using newest technologies (X-ray computed tomography) made it possible to read 95% of the inscriptions on the mechanism (about 2000 characters). The results of the work are set out in the article published in the journal "Nature" (11/2006)

Michael Wright continues his research, which submitted a modified model of the anti-track mechanism in 2007.

The joint efforts of researchers anti-seater mechanism gradually opens its secrets, expanding our ideas about the possibilities of antique science and technology.

Original fragments

All preserved metal parts of the anti-seater mechanism are made of leaf bronze with a thickness of 1-2 millimeters. Many fragments were practically completely transformed into corrosion products, but in many places it is still possible to distinguish with elegant details of the mechanism.

Currently, 7 large (A-G) and 75 small fragments of the anti-track mechanism are known.

Photo 1. Anti-car mechanism fragments A-G. Radiography. Scale is not observed

Most of the preserved parts of the internal mechanism are the remains of twenty seven small gears with a diameter of 9 to 130 millimeters, in the complex sequence of placed on twelve sections, is placed inside the largest fragment of the mechanism (fragment A, photo 2, 3). The size of this part is 217 millimeters. Most of the wheels were adjacent to the shafts that rotated in the holes made in the plates of the housing. The line of the outline of what remains from the housing (one face and rectangular junction), suggests that it was rectangular. Concentric arcs, well distinguishable on the X-ray, are part of the bottom dial of the rear panel. The remains of the wooden plank, presumably one of the two, separating the dial from the body, are located between them next to the preserved frame of the frame. It is possible to distinguish traces of two more wooden fragments at some distance from the side and rear edges of the case of the housing, which at the corner are closed in articulation with a beveled corner.

Photo 3. Anti-car mechanism, fragment a

The fragment B, the size of about 124 millimeters (photo 4) consists mainly of the remaining part of the top dial of the rear panel with two broken shafts and traces of another gear. Fragments A and B are adjacent to each other, while a fragment E, the size of about 64 millimeters, on which another small part of the dial is located, is placed between them. Connected together, they allow you to consider the device of the rear panel consisting of two large dials having a type of spiral of four and five concentric converging rings located one over the other on the rectangular plate, the height of which is about twice as much width. On the recently discovered fragment F also contains a piece of the rear dial with traces of wooden parts, forming the articulation in the corner of the plate.

Photo 4. Antikitersky mechanism, fragment B

The size of the fragment C is about 120 millimeters (photo 5). The largest separate part of this fragment is the corner of the dial of the opposite (front) side, which forms the main "display". The dial consisted of two concentric scales with divisions. One of them, carved directly in the plate from the outer side of a large round hole, was broken by 360 divisions that make up twelve groups of thirty divisions with the names of the zodiac signs. The second scale, broken down on 365 divisions (days), also accounted for groups of thirty divisions with the names of months according to the Egyptian calendar. Next to the corner of the dial was placed a small catch, which opened a trigger lever. She served in order to hold the dial. From the reverse side of this fragment, the corrosion-tightly glued to it, the concentric item containing the remains of a tiny gear, which was part of the device to display information about the phases of the moon.

On all these fragments, traces of bronze plates, located on top of the dials, can be distinguished. They were tightly filled with inscriptions. Some of their pieces were removed from the surface of the main parts in the process of cleaning and storage, others were again collected in the fact that now it is known as a fragment of G. The remaining fragmented parts, mainly the smallest pieces, assigned the numbers.

Photo 5. Antikitersky mechanism, fragment C

Photo 6. Antikitersky mechanism, fragments B, a and c (from left to right): Rear view

Fragment D consists of two wheels combined with each other by means of a thin flat plate laid between them. These wheels do not quite round shape, the shaft on which they should be located is missing. For them, there is no place on other fragments that have come to us and, thus, their assignment cannot be installed.

All fragments of the anti-car mechanism are stored in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens. Fragments A, B and C are demonstrated in the exposition of the museum.

Photo 7. Antikitersky mechanism, fragment D

Purpose and function

More initial stage Studies, thanks to the preserved inscriptions and scales, the anti-car mechanism was defined as a certain device for astronomical needs. According to the first hypothesis, it was some kind of navigation tool, perhaps astrolabia (a kind of circular map of the starry sky with devices for determining the coordinates of stars and other astronomical observations). The inventor of astrolabia is considered an ancient Greek astronomer of hypanh (approx. 180-190 - 125 BC). However, it soon became clear that it is a much more complex device.

In terms of miniaturization and complexity, the anti-track mechanism is comparable to the astronomical clock of the XVIII century. It contains more than 30 gear with teeth in shape equilateral triangles. Such a high complexity and impeccable manufacturer suggest that he had a number of predecessors who were not discovered.

According to the second hypothesis, the anti-car mechanism was a "flat" version of the mechanical celestial globe (planetarium) created by Archhimensional (approx. 287 - 212 BC), which is reported to ancient authors.

The earliest mention of the Archimedes globe belongs to the I B. BC. In the dialogue of the famous Roman speaker of Cicero "On the State", the conversation between the participants of the conversation comes to solar eclipses, and one of them says: "I remember how I once, along with Gair Sulpicy Gall, one of the most scientists people Our Fatherland ... was visiting Mark Marcello ... and Gall asked him to bring him a famous "sphere", the only trophy, whom the great-grandfather wished to decorate his house after taking Syracuse, city, total treasures and miracles. I often heard, as they told about this "sphere", which I was considered to be a masterpiece of Archimedes, and I must admit that at first glance I did not find anything special in it. More beautiful and more known in the people there was another sphere, created by the same Archimensional, which the same Marcell was given to the temple of valor. But when Gall began with a great knowledge of the case to explain to us the device of this device, I came to the conclusion that Sicilian had a gift to a big one, which man could possess. For Gall said that ... A solid sphere without voids was invented for a long time ... But, "said Gall," such a sphere, on which the movements of the Sun, the Moon and five stars, called ... wandering, could not be created in the form of a solid body; The invention of Archimedes is amazing precisely the fact that he came up with how to maintain unequal and different paths with non-modal movements during one turn. When Gall led this sphere in motion, it happened that on this ball of bronze moon replaced the sun during the so many revolutions, how many days she replaced him at the very sky, as a result of which the same eclipse of the sun was happening in the sky of the sphere Entered into the same meter, where there was a shadow of the earth, when the sun from the region ... [Lakun] "(Cicero. About the state, I, 14.)

The internal mechanism of the Heavenly Globe of Archimedes is reliably known. It can be assumed that it consisted of a complex gear system, like an anti-car mechanism. Archimedes wrote a book about the device of the Heavenly Globe ("On the manufacture of spheres"), but unfortunately she was lost.

Cicero also writes about another similar device manufactured by a posider (approx. 135 - 51 BC), a philosopher-Stoik and scientists who lived on Rhodes' island, from where, perhaps sailed a ship, transporting an anti-car mechanism: "If I brought into Scythia or Britain that the ball (Sphaera), which recently made our friend of the position, the ball, the individual revisions of which reproduce what is happening in the sky with the Sun, Moon and five planets in different days and nights, then who are in these barbaric countries Doubted, that this ball is a work perfect reason? " (Cicero. About Nature of Gods, II, 34.)

Thus, the existence in the ancient times of mechanisms comparable to complexity with Antikiters, finds confirmation from ancient authors, although none of them reached us.

Computer reconstruction of the mechanism

In 1959, Derek de Solla Price put forward a substantiated hypothesis that the anti-car mechanism was an instrument for astronomical calculations, in particular to determine the position of the Sun and the Moon relatively fixed stars. The price name called it an "ancient Greek computer", referring to a mechanical computing device. Since then, the anti-car mechanism is sometimes called the "first known analog computer."

Further studies have confirmed that the anti-car mechanism was an astronomical and calendar calculator used to predict the position of heavenly shine in the sky, and could also serve as a planetarium to demonstrate their movement. Thus, we are talking about a more complex and multifunctional device than the heavenly globe of Archimedes.

According to one of the hypotheses, this device was created at the Academy, founded by a philosopher of the Posidon at the Greek Island of Rhodes, which at that time was known as the center of astronomy and "mechanical engineering". It is also assumed that the engineer who developed the device could be an astronomer of hypanh (approx. 190 - approx. 120 BC), also lived on the island of Rhodes, because it contains a mechanism that uses its moon theory.

However, the nearest conclusions of the participants of the project on the study of the Anti-System, published on July 30, 2008 in the Nature magazine, suggest that the concept of the mechanism originated in Corinth colonies, which may indicate the tradition coming from Archimedes.

The poor preservation and fragmentation of the anti-seater mechanism that came to us make any attempt to reconstruct the hypothetical. Nevertheless, thanks to the painstaking work of researchers, we can imagine with sufficient confidence, at least in general terms, its device and functions.

After setting the date, the device is presumably referred to the rotation of the handle located on the side faces of the housing. A large leading wheel with 4 spokes (photo 3) was associated with the help of multistage gears with numerous gears rotating at different speeds and, ultimately, moving pointers on the dials.

The mechanism had three main dial with concentric scale: one on the front panel and two on the rear panel. There were two scales on the front panel: a fixed exterior, representing the ecliptic (a large circle of heaven, according to which the visible annual movement of the sun), divided by 360 degrees and on 12 segments of 30 degrees with the zodiac signs, and the movable inner, having 365 divisions on The number of days in the Egyptian calendar used by Greek astronomers. The accuracy of the calendar, caused by the greater real duration of the solar year (365,2422 days), could be corrected by turning the calendar dial for 1 division back for every 4 years. (It should be noted that the Julian calendar containing an additional day in leap yearswas introduced only in 46 BC).

The front dial had probably at least three shooting indicators: one with the date, and the two others indicating the positions of the sun and the moon relative to the plane of the ecliptic.

The position pointer of the Moon made it possible to take into account the peculiarities of its movement opened by Hippuch. Hipparh found that the lunar orbit is an ellipse, tilted by 5 degrees to the plane of the earth orbit. The moon moves on the ecliptic faster near the perigaus and slower in suitoe, which in good approximation follows the second law of the Kepler for angular speed. To take into account this non-uniformity, a seven gear system was used, which included two gears with shifted relative to the axis of rotation center of gravity.

It is logical to assume that there was a similar mechanism showing the movement of the Sun in accordance with the theory of hyphard, however, the transfer of this mechanism (if he existed) was lost.

On the front panel there was also a mechanism with a phase indicator of the moon. The spherical model of the moon, half silver, half black, was shown in the round window, demonstrating the current phase of the moon.

There is a point of view that the mechanism could have pointers for all five planets known to the Greeks (this is Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn). But no transmission responsible for such planetary mechanisms is not found, with the exception of one gear system (fragment D), the purpose of which is unclear. At the same time, the newly discovered inscriptions in which the stationary points of the planets are mentioned, suggest that the anti-car mechanism can also describe their movement.

Finally, on a thin bronze plate, covered the front dial, was so-called. "Parapegm" is an astronomical calendar, indicating the sunrises and signs of individual stars and constellations marked with Greek letters, corresponding to the same literals on the zodiacal scale.

Photo 8. Zodiacal scale, calendar scale and parapegma

Photo 9. Parapegm text fragment

Thus, the device could show a relative position on the heavenly sphere at a specific date, which could have practical application in the work of astronomers and astrolories (astrology was widely practiced in Ancient world), eliminating complex and time-consuming calculations.

On the rear panel there were two large dials. The upper dial, which had a spiral shape with five twists and 47 compartments in each turn (47 x 5 \u003d 235), was displayed. "Metons of the cycle." This cycle, named after the Athenian astronomer and the Math Mathematics, who offered it in 433 BC, was used to agree on the duration of the lunar month and a sunny year in a moon-sunny calendar. The methons of the cycle is based on an approximate (with an accuracy of about two hours) equality: 19 tropical years \u003d 235 synodic months.

As the ancient Greek scientist I B noted. BC. Gemein in his "Elements of Astronomy", the Greeks were to bring victims to the gods on the customs of the ancestors, and therefore "they must preserve consent to the Sun in years, and in the days and months - with the moon."

Auxiliary dial is also located on the upper dial of the back panel, broken into four sectors, resembling the second dial of modern wristwatches. Wright suggested that the pointer on the auxiliary dial showed the so-called. Callipov cycle, consisting of 4 meto cycles (76 tropical years), with a deduction of one day, which served to clarify the lunarly solar calendar.

However, in 2008, the head of the project on the study of the Anti-Cute mechanism Tony Fries and his colleagues were found on this dial of the names of 4 Phallinsky games (Easty, Olympic, Nemye and Pythiy), as well as games in Dodon. The Olympic dial must be included in the existing gear transmission, which moved the indicator to 1/4 turn over the year.

This confirms that the anti-car mechanism could be used to calculate the dates of religious holidays associated with astronomical events (including the Olympic and other sacred games), as well as serve to correct the calendars based on the meton cycle. It was important practical value In Greece, where almost every polis had its own civil calendar, which created an incredible confusion.

At the bottom of the rear panel there is a dial in the form of a spiral with 223 compartments showing the Saros cycle. Saros, open, possibly in Babylonian astronomers - a period, after which, due to the repetition of the mutual arrangement of the Sun, the moon and nodes of the lunar orbit on the celestial sphere, in the same sequence again repeated solar and lunar eclipses. Saros includes 223 synodic months, which is approximately 18 years 11 days 8 hours.

Since Saros is not equal to an integer number of days, in each new cycle "The same" eclipse comes almost 8 hours later. It should be borne in mind that the lunar eclipse can be seen from all over the night hemisphere of the Earth, while the solar is only from the region of the lunar shadow, which in different years passes at various places of the planet. The strip of the "same" solar eclipse in each subsequent saros is shifted by almost 120 ° to the west. In addition, the eclipse strip moves to the north or south, depending on whether the lunar orbit (downward or ascending) node is eclipsed.

On the scale of the dial, showing the Saros cycle, there are symbols σ for lunar eclipses (σεληνη, moon) and η for solar Eclipse (Ηλιος, sun) and digital designations made by Greek letters, presumably indicating the date and hour of eclipses. It was possible to establish correlations with actually observed eclipses.

A smaller auxiliary dial displays the "Triple Saros", or the "Exeligm Cycle" (Greek. Ἐξέλιγος), which gives a period of recurrence of eclipses for the whole days. The field of this dial is divided into three sectors: one clean and two with no clock designations (8 and 16) that need to be added for each second and third Sarosa in the cycle to get the eclipse time.

This confirms that the device could be used to predict the lunar and, possibly, solar eclipses.

The anti-car mechanism was concluded in a wooden box, on the doors of which were bronze plates containing a guide to its use with astronomical, mechanical and geographic data. I wonder what among geographical names The text occurs ισπανια (Spain in Greek), which is the oldest mention of the country in this form, unlike Iberia.

X-ray (left) and computer model (right) block responsible for modeling the moon circulation (T. Freeth et al.).

"This device is simply extraordinary, it is the only one in his own way," says Mike Edmunds, a professor from the University of Cardiff (Cardiff University), heading the mechanism research. - Its design is excellent, and astronomy is completely accurate ... From the point of view of historical value, this mechanism is more expensive than Mona Lisa. "

In the new work, scientists used accurate X-ray scanners for the reconstruction of the structure of the gear, as well as to recognize almost the stirred inscriptions on the surface of the device.

As the careful analysis showed using this modern equipment, on the sunny calendar, on the front panel of the mechanism were indicators for the sun and the moon under the names of the "Golden Little Sphere" and simply a "small sphere", respectively. In addition, there were marks that set the correspondence between the zodiac and the solar calendar.

As for the other solar calendar on the reverse side of the mechanism, it was possible to find out that it was used to predict solar and lunar eclipses.

The researchers were also able to find out this time that this device even took into account the uneven movement of the moon caused by the fact that our satellite is not drawn by circular, but according to elliptical orbit. For this purpose, the authors of the Antikiteri miracle made a "lunar" gear with a displaced center of rotation.

This time it turned out to clarify the dating of the mechanism. According to radiocarbon analysis, it turned out that this thing was manufactured for about 65 to our era. But as follows from the inscriptions that scientists were able to read thanks to X-ray equipment, the device is somewhat older - it was created in 150-100 BC.

By the way, with inscriptions, researchers worked especially successfully. It used to be believed that 95% of the text was recognized, while a new study added not 5% to this knowledge, but almost doubled it! This knowledge turned out to be very valuable - thanks to the new inscriptions, scientists were able to confirm the idea that the mechanism in addition to the objects mentioned could calculate the configuration of Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, in which experts used to doubt.

Also in reconstruction made by researchers, 37 wheels, although the mechanism stored in the Athenian National Archaeological Museum (National Archaeological Museum of Athens), only 30 parts, the remaining 7 are simply "hypothetical".

"Due to fragmentation of finds, such assumptions are inevitable. However, with them a new model looks very convincing, "said Francois Charkets (François Charette), a researcher from Ludwig Maximilian University (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität), who did not participate in the study.

Experts in the International Research team gathered experts in various industries scientific knowledge: astronomers, mathematics, computer, archaeologists and others. Specialists, P. information technologiesBy the way, I called an anti-tier mechanism an analog computer.

And although scientists have a non-working instance of the device, they plan to make it an accurate computer model, as well as a working copy.

"Greek miracle"

The anti-car mechanism from the moment of discovery puzzled and intrigued the historians of science and technology, which did not assume that such a device could exist in the Hellenistic time. On the other hand, they have long recognized that in abstract mathematics and mathematical astronomy, the Greeks were not beginning, but rather "colleagues from another college" who reached great heights.

The anti-car mechanism was probably created in the second half of the II century BC. This is the heyday of the Hellenistic Astronomy associated with the names of such scientists, such as Posidochi and Hipparh.

Hippich Nicene was drawn up a starry sky catalog, subsequently used by Ptolem, opened precession of equinoxies, the visible movements of the moon, the sun and five famous planets are quite accurately described, the distance from the ground to the moon and the size of the latter, very close valid. Found by hypun the meaning of the synodic month is only 0.5 seconds less than this. The theory of hypparch allowed to predict the lunar eclipses with an accuracy of one or two hours and, albeit with less accuracy, solar eclipses.

Posidenia made a calculation of the distance from the ground to the Sun, which was 5/8 valid (fantastic result for that time).

A century earlier was created by Aristarh Samos, the creator of the first in the history of the heliocentric system (1800 years earlier before Copernicus), and his younger contemporary Archimedes, the greatest scientist of the ancient world and the forerunner of the science of the new time.

Many of the achievements of ancient science would seem incredible today, do not be fixed in the works of ancient scientists that have come down to us. With all the complexity of the anti-seater mechanism that does not have analogues to the new time, it seems to be built on the basis of astronomical and mathematical theories developed by Greek scientists to 150-100 BC. So for his interpretation, we do not need to contact Deus Ex Machina.

Modern researchers engaged in the reconstruction of the anti-car mechanism converge in the fact that it was most likely a unique device. However, there are Cicero's testimony from time to time about mechanical planetaria Archimedia and Posidonon. This suggests that there was an ancient Greek tradition of creating complex mechanisms, which was subsequently transferred to Byzantium and Islamic world, where similar complex mechanical devices were built by Muslim engineers and astronomers in the Middle Ages. These devices were much easier than the anti-track mechanism, but they have so many points of contact that it seems obvious that they came from the overall tradition.

The history of the ancient science is a book with a multitude of eliminated pages. Contrary to the sacramental phrase of Mikhail Bulgakov, the manuscripts burn very well. It is enough to remember the fate of the Alexandria library. History gives a lot of examples of the destruction of highly developed civilizations and the centuries-old oblivion of past achievements. This should serve us lesson and caution.

Becoming the victim of the element and human larchiness, the anti-car mechanism has emerged from scientific turnover for two thousand years. But thanks to the same accident, which wrapped up with a happy accident, he was preserved to the present day and fell into the hands of modern researchers, forcing many of our estimates of antique science and technology.
Link to an article with which this copy is made -

Sometimes among archaeological finds Objects are found, forcing the relevant views on the history of human development that had previously had. It turns out that our distant ancestors had technology, practically not inferior to modern. Bright example high level Ancient science and technology is an anti-car mechanism.

Find a diver

In 1900, the Greek vessel engaged in the fishery of the sea sponge in the Mediterranean Sea, got into a strong storm north of the island of Crete. Captain Dimitridge Condos decided to wait like a bad weather near the small island of anti-tutor. When the excitement went down, he sent a group of divers in search of a sea sponge in the area.

One of them, Likopantis, popling, said that he saw some sunken vessel on the seabed, and near him great amount Horses corpses that were in different degrees of decomposition. The captain did not believe, decided that everything was harmful due to poisoning with carbon dioxide, but still decided to independently check the information obtained.

Going to the bottom, to a depth of 43 meters, Condos saw a completely fantastic picture. Before him lay the remains of the ancient ship. Bronze and marble statues are scattered near them, barely breathed out from under the layer of Slah, densely littered with sponge, algae, shells and other bottom inhabitants. It is their diver and accepted for the corpses of horses.

The captain suggested that this ancient Roman gale could transport something more valuable than bronze sculptures. He sent his divers to the vessel examination. The result exceeded all expectations. Mining was very rich: gold coins, gems, jewelry and many other items that have not imagined for the team, but for which it was still possible to rescue something by passing them to the museum.

Sailors collected everything they could, but much still left at the bottom. This is due to the fact that the diving on such
Depth without special equipment is very dangerous. During the rise of treasures, one of 10 divers perished, and two paid their health. Therefore, the captain ordered to roll work, and the ship returned to Greece. The found artifacts were commissioned to the National Archaeological Museum of Athens.

Nakhodka caused great interest among the Greek authorities. By examining items, scientists found that the ship was sank in the first century BC during the flight from Rhodes to Rome. A few expeditions were committed to the crash site. For two years, the Greeks raised almost everything that was there.

Under the limestone layer

On May 17, 1902, the archaeologist Valerios Stisis, which was analyzed by the anticher of artifacts found at the island, picked up a piece of bronze, covered with lime sediments and a seven. Suddenly, this block was broken, because the bronze suffered a lot from corrosion, and in his depths there were some gears.

Stise suggested that this is a fragment of ancient clock, and even wrote for this scientific work. But colleagues from the archaeological society met this publication in the bayonets.

The station was even accused of deception. The critics of the station said that in the era of antiquity could not exist such complex mechanical devices.

It was concluded that this subject came to the place of disaster from the later times and has nothing to do with the sunken gallery. The stise was forced to retreat under the pressure of public opinion, and forgotten for a mysterious subject for a long time.

"Jet aircraft in the tomb of Tutankhamon"

In 1951, a historian from Yale University of Derek John de Solla Price was accidentally stumbled upon an anti-car mechanism. He dedicated to this artifact for more than 20 years of his life. Dr. Prica understood that it deals with an unprecedented find.

Nowhere in the world no longer has a single tool, "he said. - All we know about the science and technologies of the Ellinism era, generally contradicts the existence of such a complex technical device at the time. The detection of such an item can be compared unless with the find of the jet aircraft in the tomb of Tutankhamon.

Reconstruction of the mechanism
The results of their studies of Derek Plyce published in 1974 in the journal Scientific American. In his opinion, this artifact was part of a large mechanism consisting of 31 large and small gears (preserved 20). He served to determine the position of the Sun and the Moon.

Place's relay has received Michael Wright from the London Museum of Science in 2002. In the study, he used a computer tomograph, which allowed him to more accurately receive an idea of \u200b\u200bthe structure of the device.

He found that the anti-car mechanism, except the moon and the sun, also determined the position of five planets known in antiquity: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.

Modern research

The results of the newest studies were published in the Nature magazine in 2006. In the direction of Professors, Mike Edmunds and Tony Fritis from Cardiff University participated a lot of outstanding scientists. With the help of the most modern equipment, a three-dimensional image of the subject under study was performed.

With the help of the newest computer technology The inscriptions containing the names of the planets were opened and read. Already deciphered by almost 2000 characters. Based on the form of the shape of the letters, it was established that the anti-car mechanism was created in the II century BC. Information obtained during the research allowed scientists to reconstruct the device.

The car was in a wooden box with two doors. At the first door there was a shield that allowed to observe the movement of the sun and the moon against the background of the signs of the zodiac. The second door was on the back of the device. And behind the doors were located two shields, one of which was responsible for the interaction of the solar calendar with the moon, and the second predicted solar and lunar eclipses.

In the distation of the mechanism, the wheels were to be located (which were missing) responsible for the movement of other planets, which can be obtained from the inscriptions performed on the subject.

That is, it was a kind of ancient analog computer. Its users could set any date, and the device absolutely showed the position of the Sun, the Moon and the five planets, which were known to Greek astronomers. Lunar phases, solar eclipses - everything predicted with accuracy

Genius Archimedes?

But who, what genius could create in ancient times this is a miracle of technology? Initially, a hypothesis was put forward that the Creator of the Anti-System was the Great Archimedes - a man, much ahead of his time and as if he was in antiquity from a distant future (or no less distant and legendary past).

In Roman history, there is a record of how he stolen the audience, demonstrating the "Heavenly Globe", showing the movement of the planets, the sun and the moon, as well as predictive solar eclipses with the lunar phases.

However, the mechanism of Antique was made after the death of Archimedes. Although it is possible that this particular mathematician and engineer created a prototype, on the basis of which the world's first analog computer was made.

Currently, the location of the device is the island of Rhodes. It was from there that the ship sailed, sunken with anti-car. Rhodes in those times was the center of Greek astronomy and mechanics. And the Creator of this miracle of technology is considered to be a sidonium from Apamela, who, according to Cicero, was responsible for the invention of the device indicating the movement of the Sun, the moon and other planets. It is possible that Greek nauticals could have several dozen such mechanisms, but only one came to us.

And still remains a mystery, as ancient could create this miracle. It could not have such deep knowledge, especially in astronomy, and such technologies!

It is possible that in the hands of the ancient craftsmen turned out to be a device that came to them from deep antiquity, from the times of the legendary Atlantis, whose civilization was an order of magnitude higher than modern. And on its basis, they created an anti-car mechanism.

Be that as it may, Jacques-Yves Kusto, the greatest explorer of the depths of our civilization, called this discovery with wealth, which in its value exceeds Mona Lisa. It is such restored artifacts that turn our consciousness and completely change the picture of the world.

Near the Greek Island of Antikiter were found and raised from the sunken ancient Roman ship, the details of some metal device, which, after their purification, were a complex system of dial and gear. It was found that the age of the anti-car mechanism is 80-65. BC.

At first it was simply not noticed. Only after a painstaking clearing and X-ray transmission has become clear how difficult this mechanism is. More than 20 gears, worm gear, differential, scales. Its appointment was solved in 1959, when Derek de Solla Price from Princeton, New Jersey, proved that this is a kind of analog computer used to facilitate astronomical calculations. Medieval astrolabe compared to it - a children's toy.

New studies of the mechanism similar to the clock and consisting of 37 bronze gears of different sizes, seven of which were not survived, showed that, in fact, it is a mechanical "computer", which allowed the phases of the moon, the days of solar eclipses, as well as the position with respect to the zodiac Sun, Moon and five planets, known at that time astronomers. Amazing prediction accuracy was provided at least for 15-20 years, Live Science writes.

The device was placed in a wooden casing with a box of shoes. On the front of the device there were two scales with levers, with which it was possible to enter the calendar date and the position of the Sun in the zodiac. Metal pointers showed the position of the planets, and two circular scales on the back side of the box showed the movement of the moon and allowed to predict the eclipse. By changing the position of the levers, it was possible to observe the position of the planets on a certain day in the past and in the future.
In essence, it was a complex computing device, since to carry out its functions, it produced subtraction, multiplication and division operations. It should be noted that the first gear mechanisms appeared in Europe only 1500 years later - in the XIV century.

In order to reconstruct the work of the mechanism and restore the inscriptions on the surfaces, the researchers used three-dimensional X-ray scanners. It was also possible to more accurately establish the date of manufacture of the device - about 65 BC. Previously it was assumed that the age of artifacts - 100-150 years BC

The mechanism is attributed to the famous Ancient Roman mathematics, astronomer and a philosophy of a posidomy, who lives at the time that the device is dated. Nakhodka slightly sheds light on until now the undeclined riddle of this scientist - he managed to make it impossible for his time with accuracy calculations of distances from Earth to the Moon and the Sun, as well as other astronomical calculations.

Fragments of the mechanism found divers in 1901, who studied the remains of an ancient Roman vessel, sunken near the Greek coast. Scientists have worked over these fragments over a hundred years to understand the work of the mysterious mechanism. The first more or less accurate assumptions were made in 1959, when it turned out that the device made it possible to make astronomical calculations. Another 50 years of work of the team from astronomers, mathematicians, computer experts, chemists from the UK, Greece and the United States went to the final reconstruction.

Researchers plan to create a computer model of a working device and then make an accurate working copy of the mechanism.