5Ws about the discovery of the Antikythera mechanism

Who discovered it? A team of sponge divers led by Captain Dimitrios Kondos.

What was discovered? A shipwreck, at first described as a heap of rotting corpses and horses lying on the sea bed. The sponge divers salvaged numerous artifacts from the waters, such as statues of a philosopher's head, a young boy, a discus thrower, the bronze Ephebe of Antikythera of c. 340 B.C., a Hercules, a marble bull and a bronze lyre. Many other small and common artifacts were also found. And finally a piece of rock with a gear wheel embedded in it….

Where was it discovered? In the sea near the coast of Antikythera .

When? In October 1900.

Why was it discovered? To enable us to probe deeper into the wisdom of the Ancients.

5Ws about the Antikythera mechanism

Who made it? Nobody knows for sure. It could have been made by the Greek Stoic philosopher Posidonius (ca. 135 BC – 51 BC) or by a student of him.

What is it? It is an orrery. A mechanical device that illustrates the relative positions and motions of the planets and the moon in the solar system in a heliocentric model.


Where was it made? If the Posidonius theory is correct it was made in Rhodes.

and so When? ca. 80 BC.

Why was it made? To track celestial bodies for astrologically important occasions such as religious events or births or possibly as an elaborate display of knowledge.