That mechanism is beyond fascinating. I have a friend who is obsessed with it and her husband gave her a replica for her birthday last year. I didn't know about it before then.
Meanwhile, that photo you found in Ajijic! That would be a brilliant prompt for Imaginative Storm. Would you allow us to use it?
Also, not sure if you saw, we're now doing a second session on Thursdays, 3pm PT.... if that time is more convenient for you than Saturday mornings.
Allegra ... thanks and absolutely feel free to use the image ... I'm honored and would like to be part of that session. Saturdays have become oddly busy so I'm delighted that you're going to do a Thursday session and will put it on my calendar.
Interesting stuff today, Joyce! I think my piece on the Antikythera mechanism is now my most commented, although it's up for grabs right now. In other words, people are interested in thinking and talking about this bad boy.
To answer this one in a different way:
"Is there anyone on the planet who could build the equivalent of this device?"
I would say no, and there never has been. This was very much a community effort, with the designers and the builders being two different sets of people.
Andrew ... I thought about you when I was on this rabbit trail ... missed that piece of yours so I have to go look for it. I've always wondered about the transfer of information "back then." Obviously, it was slower ... but, perhaps, the slowness took it deeper in a time without the blanket of distraction that muffles everything in today's world.
"Those gears were exceptionally well crafted. In fact, it would be another 1700 years or so before timekeeping devices pushed the boundaries of production far enough to match what the Greeks did during the time of the Roman Republic. Not only was the device ingenious; its components were unlike anything else seen in the world for many centuries."
The last thing I want to do in comments here is say, "go look at this thing I wrote", but I think it's really appropriate here and will simply add value. :)
I am really glad you're thinking about the same sorts of puzzles, and I think we are a lot smarter together. Your observation about the pace of change is a good one, and I wonder the same things. The rapid change is great, but the disruptions and just never having a real chance to adjust/adapt is rough on us poor humans.
I appreciate your sensitivity but also thought it was a must share. The pockets of excellence which have arisen in the long past fascinate me and lead me to believe that we are NOT smarter than they were ... we're just standing on taller shoulders.
The images of the ancient mechanism are intriguing. I watched a lecture tracing the devices origin & purpose(s). We had to laugh at the clear markings of major lunar positioning, as well as, the times and places of athletic competitions. It's a sports schedule!! Some things never changd.
Fascinating!
This is so interesting! Many many rabbit holes one can travel down!! 💕
That mechanism is beyond fascinating. I have a friend who is obsessed with it and her husband gave her a replica for her birthday last year. I didn't know about it before then.
Meanwhile, that photo you found in Ajijic! That would be a brilliant prompt for Imaginative Storm. Would you allow us to use it?
Also, not sure if you saw, we're now doing a second session on Thursdays, 3pm PT.... if that time is more convenient for you than Saturday mornings.
Allegra ... thanks and absolutely feel free to use the image ... I'm honored and would like to be part of that session. Saturdays have become oddly busy so I'm delighted that you're going to do a Thursday session and will put it on my calendar.
Curiosity is always with me as I love history
Those Greek gears illustrate pretty well the problems and costs of erasing history.
What a fascinating story. I didn't know anything about this, but have looking up stuff all afternoon. Thank you Joyce and Andrew for intriguing posts.
Thanks, June ... and welcome to the rabbit trail. ;-)
Interesting stuff today, Joyce! I think my piece on the Antikythera mechanism is now my most commented, although it's up for grabs right now. In other words, people are interested in thinking and talking about this bad boy.
To answer this one in a different way:
"Is there anyone on the planet who could build the equivalent of this device?"
I would say no, and there never has been. This was very much a community effort, with the designers and the builders being two different sets of people.
Andrew ... I thought about you when I was on this rabbit trail ... missed that piece of yours so I have to go look for it. I've always wondered about the transfer of information "back then." Obviously, it was slower ... but, perhaps, the slowness took it deeper in a time without the blanket of distraction that muffles everything in today's world.
For anyone on this thread, here's the link to Andrew's fascinating post: https://goatfury.substack.com/p/antikythera-mechanism ...
and a quote:
"Those gears were exceptionally well crafted. In fact, it would be another 1700 years or so before timekeeping devices pushed the boundaries of production far enough to match what the Greeks did during the time of the Roman Republic. Not only was the device ingenious; its components were unlike anything else seen in the world for many centuries."
Joyce, here you go! https://goatfury.substack.com/p/antikythera-mechanism
The last thing I want to do in comments here is say, "go look at this thing I wrote", but I think it's really appropriate here and will simply add value. :)
I am really glad you're thinking about the same sorts of puzzles, and I think we are a lot smarter together. Your observation about the pace of change is a good one, and I wonder the same things. The rapid change is great, but the disruptions and just never having a real chance to adjust/adapt is rough on us poor humans.
I appreciate your sensitivity but also thought it was a must share. The pockets of excellence which have arisen in the long past fascinate me and lead me to believe that we are NOT smarter than they were ... we're just standing on taller shoulders.
I think you have this 100% right. Shoulders: giants.
The images of the ancient mechanism are intriguing. I watched a lecture tracing the devices origin & purpose(s). We had to laugh at the clear markings of major lunar positioning, as well as, the times and places of athletic competitions. It's a sports schedule!! Some things never changd.
I thought that was funny, too. The Olympiads ranked right up there with eclipses. Any guess as to the gender of the inventor(s)?