Ancient computer

As the Bitcoin ETF is approved by the SEC, the social media has blown with alarming news: the Bitcoin is rocketing... while after the while - the bitcoin is going down, then: the altcoins are going to.... well, its so loudly mess, that I got confused and tired with all that information.
So, I decided to take a break, and relax for a while. I turned the TV on and look through movies that I could watch. And I found: "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny".
I love that series, it brings me back to my childhood, what artifact will Indiana be chasing this time?
An ancient computer? I got searched for some information about this, and that's something, I'd like to share.
A mystical discovery
In 1900, a shipwreck was discovered in the Aegean Sea on the Greek island of Antikythera, which lies between "mainland" Greece and Crete. It was discovered by divers, most likely sponge divers. Interestingly, it was a Roman ship from antiquity. It was most likely built between 86 and 67 BC. Many intriguing items were discovered in the wreck, including various types of bronze or marble statues, statuettes, jewelry, and money. Within a few months, the most precious cargo had been retrieved. Everything in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens was gradually cleaned and conserved.
However, the finding, which proved to be incredibly useful but received little notice at first, was part of a mystery system. Its degree of intricacy appeared to exceed the talents of its developers. When attempting to estimate the historical period from which it may have originated, it was discovered that it was most likely between 150 and 100 BC. Meanwhile, systems of this type were first developed in Europe during the Middle Ages. This demonstrates how much the abilities and knowledge of the device's inventors must have surpassed those accessible to scientists in Europe during the following dozen or so centuries.
The mechanism was severely damaged, but the fragments discovered allow for a more or less complete reconstruction
A total of three big pieces and 82 minor components were discovered. They comprised 39 gears. The majority of the components were made of bronze. When built, the mechanism was approximately 33 cm in height, 17 cm in width, and 9 cm deep. (According to another version, dimensions are 30 cm x 20 cm x 20 cm). The gears of this odd gadget were powered by a crank on the side. They set the hands in motion (there were seven in all), which then moved against the backdrop of various dials.
However, it wasn't until 2006 that we had a whole picture, due to technological advancements and new analysis methods. A team of researchers from the University of Cardiff rebuilt the process using a computed tomography scanner, and the findings were published in the journal "Nature".

It was discovered that this gadget could display the movement of celestial bodies, particularly the Sun and Moon, against the backdrop of the zodiac. It also displayed the phases of the moon. It also allowed for the prediction of eclipses as well as the rising and setting of major constellations. The ancient "computer," as it is frequently referred to, also coordinated the solar and lunar calendars. The mechanism was built using the Egyptian calendar, which was most likely in use in ancient Greece at the time. Surprisingly, it took leap years into consideration.
Researches
The utilization of everyday medical technologies proved to be incredibly useful when investigating the mechanism's components. Specifically, a tomograph. This allowed for the reading of more letters and symbols on the mechanism's parts. We now know roughly 3,500 of them. The inscriptions on the mechanism's pieces fall into three categories: astronomical, geographical, and technical. We were able to establish the number of teeth in each gears by computer mapping. Further corroboration of the Antikythera mechanism's antiquity was found. During the process, it was discovered that it was created in the second century BC.
For many years, researchers have been studying the unexplained process. First, for over three decades, they were managed by Prof. Derek J. De Sola Prince of Yale University, alongside Charalambos Karakalos of the Demokritos Research Center. Later, the topic was taken over by two scholars, Michael Wright and Alan Bromley. In 2001, the Antikythera Mechanism Research Group was established. It featured John Seiradakis of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Mike Edmunds and Tony Freeth of Cardiff University, and Xenophon Moussas and Yanis Bitsakis of the National and Cappadostrian University of Athens. The Greek Ministry of Culture granted the team permission to continue their work, and the British Leverhulme Foundation provided a funding.
Scientists managed to reconstruct the Antikythera mechanism. To achieve this ambitious goal, a special research group was established at Aristotle University in 2008.
The initial model did not work. The cause was, overly rough manufacture of the gears. In some areas, they obstructed each other, while in others, they barely touched. To develop a completely working model, higher accuracy was required. Special algorithms have been developed for this purpose. And it worked! In 2011, 5 functioning clones of the mechanism were created. They were donated to several museums. Later, models greater than 1:1 size were created. Currently, the National Archaeological Museum in Athens has the original elements of the mechanism as well as one of the duplicates built.

The functionality of Antycithera Mechanism
Most researchers agree that the ancient artifact's purpose was to measure the distance between celestial bodies. The device was a type of calendar that included a leap year every four years. The dial on the device's front displayed the movement of the Sun and Moon against a background of the zodiac and Egyptian calendar, which were then in use in Greece.
Furthermore, the gadget displayed the Moon's phases, and the dials on the rear enabled the solar calendar to be synchronized with the lunar calendar, allowing for the prediction of events such as eclipses. Unfortunately, scientists only have a limited understanding of the mechanism, thus they can only make certain assumptions based on the existing data.
According to the researchers, this system might also anticipate when specific celestial bodies and constellations will rise and set. The proper shields have not been preserved, however one of the recovered components bears the inscription Venus.


Resources:
https://www.filmweb.pl/film/Indiana+Jones+i+artefakt+przeznaczenia-2023-527837
https://geekweek.interia.pl/raport-najwieksze-zagadki-archeologii/news-mechanizm-z-antykithiry-grecki-komputer-jeszcze-przed-chryst,nId,6925650
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antikythera_mechanism