January
09
/ 2016
The restoration of the gearwheel found in Olbia (Sardinia, Italy) in 2006 by the Superintendence for Archaeological Heritage, dated between the mid-2nd century and the end of the 3rd century BC, has revealed a very important surprise: the teeth have a special curving which make them extraordinarily similar to the mathematically perfect profile used in modern gears. Moreover, the unusual composition of the alloy (brass) was completely unexpected. As it turns out, the gear is very scientifically advanced despite being constructed before all other known mechanisms to date. Considering the perfect correlation between the scientific evidence and historical, literary and archaeological studies, it does not seem rash to conclude that the fragment from Olbia was an integral part of the
