The Antikythera Mechanism in comix

The Antikythera Mechanism is many things to many people. For some, it’s a symbol of technological innovation, the very bedrock upon which our modern world is based. For others, it is a set of mechanical gears. There are those who venerate its historical significance, while others think it is just an interesting trinket from the past. Some even regard it a by-product of alien-human technological cooperation or, at very least, an object suitable for imaginative sci-fi narratives. Irrespective of the view, no one can doubt its fame or the fact that it has captured public attention. Many people, however, only have a vague understanding of what it is and what it could do. Certainly, the most common question I’m asked is: “When all is said and done, what exactly is the Antikythera Mechanism?” This is invariably followed by more specific questions about the way it worked, where and by whom it was designed and built, where it was found, and so forth.

So, what have we learned after more than a century since it was discovered in the deep waters off a small remote island in southwest Greece? The main purpose of this book is to answer this question in a way that is accessible as possible to readers, be they teenage students or lofty rocket scientists. To do this, I share scientific facts about the Antikythera Mechanism using an alternative medium, the graphic narrative of comics. Drawings and sketches serve to create an engaging setting inspired by the places and actors involved in the story of discovery, while explaining the Mechanism’s complex features and the functions it performed. The combination of words and illustrations aims at providing an attractive, yet scientifically accurate, narrative about the magnificent story of this unique archaeological artefact and its context.