What type of machine did Leonardo da Vinci design to raise water using a helical screw?

Leonardo da Vinci designed a water-raising machine based on Archimedes’ screw.

An Archimedes’ screw moves water upward through a rotating helical surface enclosed in a tube or trough. As the screw turns, pockets of water travel along the helix and rise to a higher level. Leonardo studied and drew screw-based water-lifting mechanisms as part of his extensive investigations of hydraulics and mechanical power.

The underlying principle was not Leonardo’s original invention. The machine is traditionally associated with Archimedes, the ancient Greek mathematician and engineer, although the historical origin of the device is debated. Leonardo’s contribution was to analyze, adapt, and illustrate the mechanism for Renaissance engineering problems.

This distinction matters because Leonardo often improved or redesigned earlier ideas rather than inventing every underlying principle from nothing. His studies helped connect classical hydraulic technology with practical Renaissance design, including irrigation, drainage, and the controlled movement of water.