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The Antikythera Mechanism
Data Visualization by Means of Web-Based Virtual Reality
The Antikythera mechanism is an ancient astronomical calculator, the fragments of which were discovered in 1901 near the Greek Island Antikythera. Dating back over 2,000 years to Ancient Greece, this remarkable device was used to calculate the positions of the sun, the cycles of the moon, solar and lunar eclipses, and the dates and locations of the Panhellenic Games—both for past and future dates. The advanced engineering behind the mechanism was lost to history, but modern visualization techniques have allowed researchers to analyze radiological, archaeoastronomical, and mathematical data, enabling the virtual reconstruction of the device. Our web-based Virtual Reality model provides a wider audience with access to the main fragment and an open data replica. Updates to the model based on new discoveries, such as the recently proposed Draconic cycle dial, are both time-saving and cost-effective.
