Ancient Greek philosophers believed they could count on the muses to dispense wisdom. This group of goddesses, usually thought to number nine, were beseeched for aid on a wide spectrum of subjects. Clio, for example, was versed in history, while Euterpe was the muse to sound out about flute playing, and Urania held the secrets to astronomy. Those seeking their favour – and the creativity that flowed from it – had the option of visiting shrines dedicated to them, with a famous cult centre established in the Vale of the Muses below Mount Helicon. This place of worship held statues of historical notables in the arts and was known as a ‘Mouseion’, from which we get the modern word ‘museum’. Given this link between ancient shrines that put the past on show, and modern institutions where visitors can find inspiration aplenty, it could not be more apt that an exhibition dedicated to Ancient Greek curiosity about the natural world has opened at the Science Museum, London (see ‘Further information’ box).
Observers could be forgiven for concluding that the muses were in a particularly forthcoming mood during the Greek era. There were stunning advances in a host of subjects, including philosophy, mathematics, astronomy, healthcare, and classification of the animal kingdom. We can still follow these developments in copies of manuscripts that have survived from the ancient world, while examples of Greek technology also crop up in their art. This can range from the obvious, such as ships sailing across painted vases, to far more subtle manifestations of Greek thinking. Statues of athletes, for instance, could showcase idealised proportions for the human body. These would be calculated from the measurements of the smallest part of the little finger, which allowed the size of the hand to be determined. That could be scaled up in turn, ultimately creating a mathematically pleasing distillation of the human form. When it comes to assessing the tools, instruments, and vehicles made possible by Greek thinking, though, opportunities are mixed. While archaeology has provided examples of surgical kit, many mysteries abound about the true capabilities of Greek ships and mechanical computing devices such as the Antikythera Mechanism. Here, we examine three subjects among those explored in the Science Museum exhibition, where researchers are using modern scientific techniques worthy of the Ancient Greeks to shed new light on the achievements of their era.
Winds of change
The maritime accomplishments of Ancient Greek sailors and explorers have fascinated audiences both ancient and modern. It was around 630 BC that the first Greek, Kolaios of Samos, is known to have reached the Atlantic. That traders followed hot on his heels is suggested by the presence of high-status late-7th- and 6th-century Greek goods at sites in the vicinity of the southern Spanish coast. Curiosity about the source of some of the goods flowing in the other direction, from northern Europe to Greece, seemingly inspired a fabulous voyage by Pytheas of Massalia in around 320 BC. He took an interest in both tin and amber while embarking on a journey that involved a circumnavigation of Britain, an apparent trip to Jutland, and conceivably also a landing in southern Iceland. While the exploits of Pytheas remained the exception, there is ample evidence for the role of Greek ships in exchanging both goods and ideas around the Mediterranean. Not only can objects be found far from their place of manufacture, but the cargos of wrecked vessels still lie clustered on the seabed. When it comes to Greek technology, the most famous such wreck must be that off the island of Antikythera, where a ship foundered in about 70-50 BC. It was carrying a wealth of desirable goods, including what was for many years a unique example of an ancient geared calculating mechanism.
Excavating the Highlands