What type of weapon did Leonardo da Vinci sketch with a giant wooden bow?

Leonardo da Vinci sketched a giant crossbow as a spectacular siege weapon powered by a large bow and mechanical launching system.

The design appears among Leonardo’s military studies from the late 15th century. Its enormous scale was intended to increase range and intimidation, while wheels and a supporting frame would help move and operate the weapon. Like many of Leonardo’s military projects, it is chiefly known from drawings rather than evidence of completed battlefield use.

A crossbow stores energy by bending a bow and releases it through a trigger mechanism. Leonardo’s giant version should not be confused with a ballista, an ancient torsion-powered weapon, or a trebuchet, which throws projectiles using a counterweighted lever.