At the beginning of the 20th century, a wreck near the Greek island of Antikythera delivers ancient objects. Among them, corroded fragments no longer resemble a usable mechanism. Yet they contain cogwheels.
The study of the object reveals a device intended to represent astronomical cycles. The gears notably articulate movements related to the Sun and the Moon; the mechanism also made it possible to follow cycles associated with eclipses.
It is sometimes referred to as the first computer. The expression helps capture the astonishment, but it did not have any electronic components or programs comparable to those of our devices. Its strength lies elsewhere: the fragments force us to review what we imagined possible in the mechanics of antiquity. The apparent rust hid calculations.
What we know
“Computer” is an analogy for a specialized mechanical computer, not a universal electronic computer.
To go to the source
References consulted on September 20, 2026. Linked pages may be in another language.
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