The Antikythera mechanism is an ancient analogue computer designed to calculate astronomical positions. Recovered in the 1900's from a ship wreck, its complexity has not been understood until very recently. The artifact is dated to the 1st Century BC, with artifacts of its level of mechanical complexity dating no earlier than the 14th century AD.
Professor Michael Edmunds of Cardiff University, who led a 2006 study of the mechanism, said:
"This device is just extraordinary, the only thing of its kind. The design is beautiful, the astronomy is exactly right. The way the mechanics are designed just makes your jaw drop. Whoever has done this has done it extremely carefully ... in terms of historic and scarcity value, I have to regard this mechanism as being more valuable than the Mona Lisa "
—30 November 2006
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