Leonardo da Vinci proposed leather for his diving suit.
The suit belonged to a design for underwater exploration and military operations. Leonardo’s concept included a leather garment, a mask, and breathing tubes connected to the surface. The arrangement aimed to let a diver remain underwater while protected from the surrounding water.
Leonardo developed the idea in the context of naval warfare and defense. Historical accounts often connect it with plans for divers who could approach enemy ships, although there is no reliable evidence that the full apparatus was built and used in combat.
The design should not be confused with modern scuba equipment. It depended on air supplied from above and lacked modern tanks, regulators, and pressure-management systems.