Abstract
The Antikythera Mechanism is an extraordinarily complex ancient Greek astronomical calculating device whose mode of operation is now relatively well understood particularly since imaging studies in 2005 revealed gears and inscriptions which were previously illegible. Unfortunately, the highest resolution X-ray computed tomography image of the largest fragment had some errors which meant that the reconstructed images were not as clear as had been expected. Here, the original X-ray data have been reanalysed and reconstructed. The new X-ray computed tomography images have improved contrast and resolution, leading to better clarity and legibility. The improvement in image quality is characterised and some examples of writing on the Mechanism which can now be read with increased confidence are given.
Publication types
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Historical Article
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Astronomy / history*
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Astronomy / instrumentation*
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Greece
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History, Ancient
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Humans
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Tomography, X-Ray Computed*
Grants and funding
Nikon Metrology provided support in the form of salaries for AR but did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. FI is supported by grant EP/M028100/1 awarded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (epsrc.ac.uk). The specific roles of these authors are articulated in the ‘author contributions’ section. Hewlett-Packard, Inc. provided digital imaging equipment and expert personnel to carry out the data gathering of PTM data. The original data gathering and subsequent analysis, on which this current research depends, received essential funding from the Leverhulme Trust, the Walter Hudson Bequest, the University of Athens Research Committee, the National Bank of Greece Cultural Foundation, the J. F. Costopoulos Foundation, and the A. G. Leventis Foundation. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.