decoding the 'antikythera mechanism'

well, we ['we' meaning 'the human race' -- specifically, a team of astrophysicists, astronomers, mathematicians, and classical scholars -- not a group including me specifically] have finally done it: we have figured out the basic functions of the so-called ANTIKYTHERA MECHANISM, or AM as i'll call it here. the newswires are abuzz just now with information about the AM -- there are articles in the new york times and nature, among others -- so i'll offer just a few of my own observations here.

[1] this is a prime example of how hi-tech modern science can shed light on ancient cultures -- AND if we [and *here* by 'we' i mean 'the classicists'] can make a convincing case, deep-pockets organizations like the national science foundation [NSF] will put out [what feels to us like] big bucks to fund the research. my esteemed colleague and longtime friend nick rauh has already taken this theory to the bank several times, winning a jaw-dropping THREE 6-figure grants from the NSF for his 'rough cilicia archaeological survey' project.

[2] how interesting that the AM was found, not in rome or athens, not even on kythera, but off the coast of *anti*kythera -- a tiny little island, population approximately 44. who knows what other treasures remain as yet undiscovered in such out-of-the-way locales. keep your eyes peeled.

[3] interesting too that it took 'us' over a century to decipher. when we did, it turned out that this gizmo was designed -- suprise, surprise -- to measure the movement of the sun and moon, and to calculate eclipses. once again we see the absolute primacy of these heavenly bodies in ancient thought. we ourselves tend both to take them for granted, much of the time, and to be completely captivated by them, at others. this function of a complicated mechanical device over 2000 years old, by the way, tends to confirm my surmise that the theory of gerald s. hawkins, about STONEHENGE, is also correct. it just stands to reason.

[special thanks to my pal CHAD BUSK ESQ for sending me this link to an excellent article on the AM. it's the best i've seen.]