The Initial Calibration Date of the Antikythera Mechanism after the Saros spiral mechanical Apokatastasis

TL;DR

This paper investigates the initial calibration date of the Antikythera Mechanism by analyzing lunar cycle correlations and astronomical events around December 178 BC, linking them to its earliest known functioning point.

Contribution

It identifies December 22-23, 178 BC, as the most probable initial calibration date based on astronomical and historical analysis, providing new insights into the mechanism's operation.

Findings

December 22, 178 BC, marks the start of the Saros cycle Apokatastasis.

The date aligns with the start of the Winter Solstice and a religious festival.

This date serves as a functional initial calibration point for the mechanism.

Abstract

This work analyzes the phase correlation of the three lunar cycles and the Saros/Exeligmos cycle, after the study of the chapter About Exeligmos in Introduction to the Phenomena by Geminus. Geminus, refers that each Exeligmos cycle began on very specific and rare dates, when the Moon positioned at the points of the three lunar cycles beginning: New moon at Apogee and at the Node. The extremely large duration of the Annular Solar eclipse occurred on December 22 178BC (Saros series 58), marks the start of the Prominent Saros Cycle Apokatastasis. The next day, 23 December 178BC, the Winter Solstice started. During these two neighboring dates, the celebration of the religious festival of Isia started in Egypt and the Hellenistic Greece. After the analysis of the Mechanism's Parapegma events specific position, 22/23 December 178BC is an ideal, functional and representative initial date, in order to calibrate the initial position of the Mechanism's pointers.