Leonardo da Vinci studied and designed versions of Archimedes’ screw, a water-raising machine using a screw-shaped mechanism.
An Archimedes’ screw consists of a helical surface inside a tube or around a central shaft. When the screw turns, pockets of water move upward along the spiral. The machine can be powered by people, animals, wind, or water, depending on its construction and setting.
The underlying invention is much older than Leonardo. It is traditionally associated with Archimedes, the Greek mathematician who lived in the third century BCE, although the exact early history of the device is debated. Leonardo’s contribution was to study, draw, and adapt mechanical and hydraulic systems during the Renaissance.
The machine is often confused with Leonardo’s aerial screw because both use spiral geometry. Their purposes were different: the Archimedes’ screw moved water, while the aerial screw was a proposed flight device. Modern versions remain useful for irrigation, drainage, and wastewater treatment.