Europe, Athens

One Object Every Month

Functional copy of Pyrseia

Object of the Month
DSC_0332a1
  01 June 2021 - 30 June 2021

  Science & Technology Museum, University of Patras Campus, Greece

Pyrseia (Fire Signals) - a communication and data encryption system

The representation is based mainly on the text of the historian Polybius (History X), who states that it was invented by the Alexandrian engineers Cleoxenus and Democleitus, and improved it himself. Information also exists in renaissance depictions.

It was based on the division of the letters of the Greek alphabet into groups of five lines and five columns. Double towers were used to transmit the messages, each of which could support five torches. The left torches represented the position of the letter in the rows and the right torches in the columns. They could be seen over long distances with the help of binoculars. It is the first coding of the alphabet. The next one was made after 20 centuries by S. Morse. It can be considered a forerunner of digital technology.

Research: Peny Theologian-Gouti, Architect-Engineer - Ethnologist, Curator of STM

Model construction: Rebecca Tsoulou, Architect Engineer, STM Volunteer

Circuit construction-activation: Spyros Koutsouvelis, Special Technical Laboratory Staff, UP

 

 

 

Telephone
Email
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

List of Dates (Page event details)


  • From 01 June 2021 to 30 June 2021

Powered by iCagenda

Calendar

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31

STM's Newsletter