Leonardo da Vinci’s pyramid-canopy device for descending safely from heights was a parachute.
Leonardo sketched the idea around 1485 in the Codex Atlanticus. His design used a rigid, pyramid-shaped wooden frame covered with linen cloth. The canopy was about 12 braccia wide and 12 braccia deep, with a similar height, creating a large drag-producing surface.
The design was intended to let a person descend from a great height without spinning uncontrollably. Leonardo did not record a completed test, so the drawing represents a concept rather than a documented working flight. In 2000, British adventurer Adrian Nicholas built and tested a full-size replica; it descended successfully, although he used a modern parachute for the final landing because the replica was difficult to steer.
Leonardo’s design is often called an early parachute, but it was not the first practical parachute. The modern parachute developed much later through lighter materials, folding canopies, and controlled suspension systems.