The reconstruction of the Antikythera Mechanism Instruction Manual after a diligent study and analysis of the Back cover inscription (Part-1 and Part-2)

TL;DR

This paper reconstructs the Antikythera Mechanism's instruction manual from inscriptions on its back cover, combining analysis of preserved text with a functional model to restore missing parts and understand its operation.

Contribution

It presents a detailed reconstruction of the Mechanism's manual by analyzing inscriptions and using a functional model, providing new insights into its design and operation.

Findings

Reconstructed significant parts of the manual's text.

Identified the mechanism's front face parts and their functions.

Enhanced understanding of the mechanism's operation and design.

Abstract

The Inscriptions which were on the Back Cover of the Antikythera Mechanism were the Users Manual of the Antikythera Mechanism. In the Back Cover Inscription Part 1 text, the Presentation, Position, and Operation of the outer parts of the Mechanism Front face was engraved by the ancient manufacturer. Although this technical text is partially or poorly preserved, useful information, results and conclusions were retracted by studying the words and the sentences adapted on their original geometrical positions, concerning the image of the Mechanism front face. After the study and the analysis of the preserved text and its characteristics, the missing text completion is presented. A significant part of the reconstructed text was reproduced using the preserved words and phrases. In many cases the reconstructed text can be considered as definite. The use of the authors Antikythera Mechanism functional model was critical for the analysis and understanding the preserved text, contributing to the design and reconstruction of the Mechanism Front Face parts, which are not preserved nowadays.