Leonardo da Vinci’s diving suit proposed underwater breathing through tubes connected to a surface float.
The design appears in Leonardo’s studies of military and naval technology. It included a mask or face covering, breathing tubes, and a structure intended to support the diver below the water. The surface connection was meant to provide air while keeping the diver submerged and able to move discreetly.
Leonardo’s concept is often associated with plans for underwater attacks on enemy ships. However, the surviving drawings do not establish that the suit was built or tested. Long flexible tubes would have created major problems, including resistance to breathing, water pressure, leakage, and entanglement.
The design should not be confused with a submarine, which is a vessel that encloses its occupants, or a diving bell, which provides a rigid pocket of air. Leonardo’s invention is better described as an early diving-suit concept and an example of his interest in practical underwater engineering.