Salvete Sodales!
Though we already have a thread dedicated to 'normal' archeological news, I felt the need to create a thread dedicated to all the truly bizarre and strange archeological finds.
I'll get things started:
The Antikythera mechanism
The Antikythera mechanism, is an ancient mechanical calculator (also described as the first known mechanical computer) designed to calculate astronomical positions. It was discovered in the Antikythera wreck off the Greek island of Antikythera, between Kythera and Crete, in 1901. Subsequent investigation, dated it to about 150–100 BC; and hypothesised that it was on board a ship that sank en route from the Greek island of Rhodes to Rome. Technological artifacts of similar complexity did not reappear until a thousand years later.
Additional reading:
Wikipedia article
National Geographic
World Mysteries article
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The Aeolipile
An aeolipile (or aeolipyle, or eolipile), a rocket style jet engine invented in the first century by Hero of Alexandria, is considered to be the first recorded steam engine or reaction steam turbine. The name—derived from the Greek words "aeolos" and "pila"—translates to "the ball of Aeolus" ; Aeolus being the Greek god of the wind.
Additional reading:
Wikipedia article
Damn Interesting article (this one includes several other claims I'd like to read more about. In particular a coin-operated vending machine for holy water and a fully automatic machine gun for arrows).
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Feel free to share your interesting finds!
Valete bene,