Leonardo da Vinci’s proposed diving suit was designed to let a diver breathe underwater.
Leonardo described a suit connected to the surface by breathing tubes. The design is usually associated with underwater military operations, especially the possibility of allowing divers to approach enemy ships without being seen. It included a mask and a system intended to carry air down to the wearer.
The proposal belongs to the early history of diving equipment, but it was not a modern self-contained scuba system. A surface connection meant that the diver depended on air supplied from above, and the practical problems of pressure, flooding, and reliable airflow remained considerable.
Leonardo’s notes also included ideas for underwater work and swimming equipment. Historians debate some details because the drawings and descriptions are incomplete. Nevertheless, the central purpose is clear: the suit was an attempt to solve the problem of breathing while submerged.