Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p>We present a reconstruction of the lost text inscribed on the Front Cover plate of the Antikythera Mechanism. Although the text is partially or poorly preserved, two critical findings yielded important information, results, and conclusions. The text is a general work of observational astronomy from around 180 BC; it describes the motion of the five planets and could have existed independently of the Antikythera Mechanism, since it contains no references to mechanical operational parts (e.g., a sphere or a pointer). The importance of this inscribed text lies in its ability to predict planetary positions and phases using the device without any additional complex mechanical components on the Mechanism. The text of the Front Cover plate served as the Astronomical Ephemeris for the Antikythera Mechanism’s user. This is why the ancient craftsman included it on his device.</p>