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Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Special Diving Gear To Explore Antikythera Underwater Archaeological Site

The Antikythera Mechanish is known for being the world’s oldest computer device. It was used by ancient Greeks to track the solar system’s cycles. The device was discovered by sponge divers near a shipwreck just off the coast of the Greek island Antikythera in 1900. It is a highly complex mechanism consisting of 40 bronze cogs and gears. It took almost 1,500 years in order to construct a device of such sophistication in Europe. Antikythera is a small Greek island in the Aegean Sea with just 44 residents. However, it used to be popular in ancient times and was the base of Cilician pirates, who captured young Julius Caesar and kept him on the island for ransom. After he was released, he captured and crucified all of them. Now, more than 100 years after the amazing discovery of the Antikythera Mechanism, archaeologists have decided to return to the site. They believe there many more ancient treasures to be discovered in the area, since Antikythera used to be on one of the busiest trade routes during ancient times. Until now, archaeologists have only been able to search up to 60 meters in depth. With the use of a special diving suit, however, they will be able to dive in deeper and safely explore the area. They will also be using robot mapping equipment and closed-circuit rebreathers so they can stay underwater for longer periods of time.


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com