Massive marble head found at Antikythera Shipwreck

Heritage Daily ^ | June 18th to 20th, 2022 | unattributed

[SunkenCiv]

Archaeologists have announced the discovery of a massive marble head at the Antikythera Shipwreck in Greece, the site where the Antikythera mechanism was previously discovered in 1901. The Antikythera wreck is a Roman-era shipwreck dating from the 1st century BC. The site was discovered by sponge divers near the Greek island of Antikythera in 1900.

Some scholars speculated that the ship was carrying part of the loot of the Roman General Sulla from Athens in 86 BC. A reference by the Greek writer, Lucian, to one of Sulla’s ships sinking in the Antikythera region gave which rise to this theory.

Previous excavations have yielded numerous statues, coins, and artefacts, in addition to the severely corroded remnants of a device called the Antikythera mechanism (which many regard as the world’s first analogue computer). The amphorae from the wreck indicate a date of 80–70 BC, the Hellenistic pottery a date of 75–50 BC, and the Roman ceramics were similar to known mid-first century types.

In the latest discovery announced by the Greek Ministry of Culture, the researchers moved several large rocks to expose unexplored parts of the shipwreck. The team discovered a marble base of a statue, in which both the lower limbs of a human form are preserved, in addition to a massive marble head of a bearded male figure.

It is speculated that the head may belong to the so-called “Hercules of Antikythera”, a headless statue also discovered at the site in 1900 which is now exhibited at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens.

Two human teeth were also discovered, for which further studies should reveal more information about the sex, age, and origins by applying forensic odontology and radiocarbon dating, in addition to the discovery of bronze artefacts and iron nails.

[SunkenCiv]

Image Credit : Greek Ministry of Culture

[SunkenCiv]

[Paladin2]

How cool is that?

Imagine future anthropological studies...

[Rebelbase]

From the same shipwreck, the Antikythera Device is the most intriguing ancient archaeological find of all time, IMO.

[SunkenCiv]

I wholeheartedly agree.

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• No, Archaeologists Probably Did Not Find a New Piece of the Antikythera Mechanism [11/23/2018]
• New discovery hints at still further treasures hidden at famous shipwreck [10/21/2017]
• Human skeleton discovered at Antikythera shipwreck after more than 2,000 [09/20/2016]
• Human skeleton found on famed Antikythera shipwreck [09/19/2016]
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• The World's First Computer May Have Been Used To Tell Fortunes [Engraved text translation] [06/10/2016]
• Is This Ancient Greek 'Laptop' Proof That Time Travel Is Real? [in short, no] [02/06/2016]
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• 'Exosuit' Mission to 2,000-Year-Old Shipwreck Begins [09/17/2014]
• Wearable submarine to hunt for 2000-year-old computer [06/06/2014]
• Return to Antikythera: what divers discovered in the deep [03/27/2013]
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• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- The Antikythera Mechanism [01/19/2013]
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• Secrets of Antikythera Mechanism, world's oldest calculating machine, revealed [07/31/2008]
• Discovering How Greeks Computed in 100 B.C. [07/31/2008]
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• The Antikythera Mechanism (Computer - 56BC) [04/30/2006]
• Kurzweil featured on new syndicated radio show "Science Fantastic" hosted by Michio Kaku [04/14/2006]
• Unearthing the Treasures of the Mediterranean [07/09/2005]
• The Antikythera Mechanism: Physical and Intellectual Salvage from the 1st Century B.C. [08/14/2004]
• Secret Handshake [03/06/2004]
• Strange stories, weird facts [01/17/2004]
• Did The Ancient Greeks Make A Computer? [11/01/2003]

[SunkenCiv]

• Researchers propose a 'day zero' for the oldest computer ever discovered [04/15/2022]

[Getready]

As in the discoveries of a mummified body from our times in the year 2300...No brains, ambiguous mutilated genitalia, pacifier lodged in throat, clutching an approx. 3 x 6 inch rectangular glass/metal object.......they’ll call it “the dark ages”....

[Paladin2]

The Matrix....

[rdl6989]

So many interesting things in that wreck.

[SteveH]

I am still holding out for the wristwatch model, which i heard is supposed to be released very soon...

[alexander_busek]

I am still holding out for the wristwatch model, which i heard is supposed to be released very soon...

Boomer!

I'm waiting for the brain implant model!

Regards,

[pepsionice]

I was in the Athens museum a couple of years ago (before Covid)...seeing the Antikythera ‘box-clock’. Spent 45 minutes in the room, and it’s an amazing display. Begs a lot of questions.

With this Marblehead found...I think this was a VIP ship and there’s probably more yet to come from the wreckage.

[M1903A1]

Is it named Zardoz?

[gundog]

”Incoming message from The Big Giant Head....”

[central_va]

Same stuff Biden’s head is made of.

[GingisK]

You make Free Republic more attractive than it could be otherwise.

[TexasBarak]

Check out Clickspring on YouTube- Chris, the host, is working his way through a rebuild and researching how it might have been done.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks!