What kind of pump did Leonardo da Vinci sketch for raising water?

Leonardo da Vinci sketched an Archimedean screw for raising water.

An Archimedean screw consists of a helical surface or blade inside a tube or trough. When the screw turns, pockets of water move upward along the spiral, allowing the device to lift water from a lower level to a higher one. Leonardo studied and drew versions of this ancient machine as part of his interest in hydraulics.

The mechanism was named after Archimedes, who is traditionally credited with its invention in antiquity. Leonardo therefore did not originate the basic principle, but his notebooks show how Renaissance engineers examined, adapted, and applied older technologies.

The screw could be powered by people, animals, or other mechanical arrangements. It was useful for drainage, irrigation, and construction. Leonardo’s hydraulic studies also included canals, locks, and water wheels, but those devices move or control water differently from the continuous lifting action of an Archimedean screw.