Palaikastro Moulds may be first portable eclipse calculator
Updated
Updated · Greek Reporter · May 4
Palaikastro Moulds may be first portable eclipse calculator
7 articles · Updated · Greek Reporter · May 4
A 2013 study said the schist slabs from Palaikastro, Crete, dated to about 1850-1700 BC, could predate the Antikythera mechanism by more than 1,400 years.
Researchers argue one slab's spoked disc and linear markings were a template for a compact device using pegs or rotating arms to track the sun and moon, estimate latitude and predict eclipses.
Found by a farmer in 1899 and long seen as moulds for ceremonial metal objects, the artifacts are now viewed as possible evidence of unexpectedly advanced Minoan astronomy and mechanical design.
Beyond the stone mould, what physical proof exists of this ancient Minoan mechanical computer?
If the Minoans had a computer, why did this technology disappear for over 1,400 years?
Unveiling the Palaikastro Device: A Portable Eclipse Predictor Predating the Antikythera Mechanism by 1,400 Years
Overview
Discovered in 1899 near Palaikastro, two schist stones were long seen as ceremonial moulds until a 2013 study revealed that one was actually a mould for a spoked disc used in a sophisticated Minoan device. This device, dating from 1790 to 1370 BCE, combined the disc with pins and a compass-like tool to function as a portable analog calculator capable of predicting solar and lunar eclipses by modeling the Saros cycle. Its design also allowed it to serve as a sundial and determine geographic latitude. The device’s use was closely tied to ritual practices at sites like Papoura Mountain, where communal ceremonies marked eclipse events. This discovery predates the famous Antikythera mechanism by 1,400 years, challenging previous views on ancient astronomical technology and highlighting the Minoans’ advanced scientific and spiritual integration.