What water-lifting machine did Leonardo da Vinci adapt from an ancient helical design?

Leonardo da Vinci adapted the ancient helical water-lifting machine known as Archimedes’ screw.

An Archimedes’ screw consists of a helical surface inside a cylindrical or trough-like housing. When the screw turns, water is carried upward along the spiral. Leonardo studied and drew screw-based hydraulic machines as part of his investigations into canals, drainage, irrigation, and other ways to control water.

The device was named after Archimedes of Syracuse, who is traditionally credited with its invention in antiquity. Leonardo therefore did not originate the basic principle, although his notebooks show how Renaissance engineers analyzed and redesigned older machines. The screw should not be confused with a water wheel: a water wheel is driven by moving water, while an Archimedes’ screw is rotated to move water. Its simple principle remains useful in modern pumping and wastewater systems.