What water-lifting machine did Leonardo da Vinci design using a rotating screw inside a cylinder?

Leonardo da Vinci designed an Archimedes’ screw using a rotating screw inside a cylinder to lift water.

The basic machine consists of a helical surface wrapped around a central shaft. As the screw turns, water is carried upward through the spaces between the spiral and its surrounding casing. Leonardo studied and drew versions of this ancient water-lifting principle in his engineering notebooks.

The invention itself was not Leonardo’s original creation. It is traditionally associated with Archimedes of Syracuse, who lived in the third century BCE. Leonardo’s contribution was to analyze, adapt, and illustrate mechanical devices for Renaissance engineering problems.

Archimedes’ screws remain useful for moving water, sewage, grain, and other materials. Unlike Leonardo’s aerial screw, this machine is a ground-based pump, so the two designs should not be confused despite their shared spiral form.