THE mystery deepens around the famous shipwreck that held the 2,000-year-old relic dubbed the “world’s first computer”.
The Antikythera wreck sank in the first century BC off the Greek island that gave it its name, carrying a trove of treasure.
Included among the valuable relics was the Antikythera Mechanism, a mysterious instrument whose function has been a subject of long-standing debate, even inspiring the film “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny”.
But researchers studying the shipwreck are now facing a new mystery after part of the wreck was recovered for the first time since 1976.
The newly recovered timbers do not match those found in the 1970s – they differ in both size and construction.
This has prompted researchers to explore the potential that the Antikythera site might actually be home to the remnants of two distinct shipwrecks rather than just one.
Lorenz Baumer of the University of Geneva in Switzerland, who directed this year’s expedition, said: “The measures are different.
“The thickness of the planks found by Cousteau is around 10 centimetres, the ones we have measure around five – that’s quite a difference.
“We now need to determine an explanation—could it be another section of the vessel? It’s possible that thinner planks were utilized in the upper sections, but this remains speculative at this time.”
“Or is it – and for me this could be a possibility – a skiff.
“You see many of those merchant ships had smaller boats with them.”
The Antikythera wreck was discovered in 1900 by Captain Dimitrios Kondos and his crew of sponge divers from the island of Symi.
Shortly after, over 300 other artefacts, including the Antikythera Mechanism, statues, coins and pieces of jewellery, were retrieved.
For over a century, the mysterious device has left scientists scratching their heads.
The conventional theory is that it was an ancient analogue device used to track the cycles of the Moon, Sun and planets and predict solar and lunar eclipses.
Author Jo Marchant, who has written a book about the device, said it was “probably the most exciting artefact that we have from the ancient world”.
A fictional version of the device, renamed the Archimedes Dial, drives the plot in Harrison Ford’s hit film, where Indiana Jones is shown diving at the Antikythera wreck.
Dr Baumer said: “It’s total nonsense, but I was very well entertained I have to say.”
But the theory that the ship carrying the mechanism was accompanied by a second ship has historical precedent.
A technical drawing of two vessels – one towing the other – was found in Pompeii, inside the House of the Ship Europa, Dr Baumer said.
He said: “It’s very detailed and very precise, so this drawing has been done by somebody who knows ships and also the technical parts.
“You see on the back of the Europa is hanging a smaller second ship.”
He also mentioned the Biblical tale – when Paul the Apostle was shipwrecked off Malta, a lifeboat was launched from the main vessel.
“We have two wreck sites,” he said.
“Close to 200 meters southwards there is a huge field – it is all covered with amphorae.
“Chronologically the two sites go together so maybe these ships have been sailing together.”
He added: “We cannot tell if they sank one after the other, or if there was a couple of years, weeks, or days between them.
“But we see we are in about the same period.”
The newly-recovered timbers have also revealed that the Antikythera wreck was already old when it sank.
Analysis of the wood, which is elm and oak, dates it back to around 235 BC, whereas the ship didn’t sink until around 80 BC.
This year’s expedition also uncovered a fragment of a sculpture depicting a nude male.
Some believe the ship was doomed by the weight of the sculptures it carried.
Dr Baumer said: “It sunk very, very quickly because it was, in my opinion, totally overloaded.
“Whenever there’s a storm in Antikythera, you’re happy that you’re not on board a ship, even a modern one.
“It is a very rocky coast, it’s impossible to land, and you simply get broken up. There’s no chance.
“Even now when the waves are too heavy, the ferry boats do not land on Antikythera – it’s too dangerous.”
What is the Antikythera Mechanism?
The Antikythera Mechanism is a 2,000-year-old Greek device, often called the world’s first analogue computer.
Discovered in a shipwreck in 1901, the object is thought to have been used to predict astronomical events, like eclipses, moon phases and possibly the movements of planets.
It consists of at least 29 gears of various sizes that were made to move simultaneously via a handle.
Key parts:
- Front dial: shows the Sun and Moon moving through the zodiac and tracks dates using a 365-day calendar
- Back upper dial: tracks the 19-year Metonic cycle to sync solar and lunar calendars
- Back lower dial: predicts eclipses using the 223-month Saros cycle
- Lunar mechanism: models the Moon’s phases and orbit
- Gears: the interlocking, bronze gears power everything
