Leonardo da Vinci designed a diving suit with a mask, breathing tubes, and a system for underwater exploration.
The concept appears in Leonardo’s Codex Atlanticus and is generally dated to the early sixteenth century. The diver wore a sealed suit connected to tubes that extended to the surface, allowing air to reach the wearer. Leonardo also included details intended to help the diver see and move underwater.
The design was reportedly associated with a possible military plan to approach enemy ships beneath the water. Whether it was actually constructed and tested is uncertain, so it is best described as a proposed invention rather than a demonstrated working suit.
This design is often confused with a submarine. A diving suit is worn by an individual, whereas a submarine encloses its crew inside a vessel. Leonardo also sketched other watercraft and underwater devices, but they were separate concepts.