Greek mathematician and engineer, traditionally credited with the device
Plate 020
c. 3rd century BCE
Syracuse or Egypt (disputed); Mediterranean
No photograph is shown for this exhibition. The museum displays an image only where it can show the object honestly.
About this date
The device is traditionally credited to Archimedes of Syracuse. Some historians suggest earlier use in Mesopotamia, but this is debated and not firmly documented.
About credit
Greek and Roman writers credit Archimedes, but they were writing after his lifetime. Whether the screw existed earlier is still argued.
Chapter II
The world before
Life before the Archimedes’ Screw
Water was raised from rivers and wells by buckets and shadufs, which required repeated lifting.
II
The human achievement
How it came about
A helical surface fitted inside a sloping cylinder carries water up as the screw rotates. A person could turn it by hand or treadle. Ancient writers describe it being used for irrigation in Egypt and for draining mines.
III
Understanding the invention
How it works
The Archimedes’ Screw, explained in two steps.
01
Step 01 of 02
A spiral staircase for water
As the tube turns, each turn of the spiral scoops a little water at the lower end and carries it upward along the incline.
A spiral staircase for water
Continuous lifting
IV
The transformation
What changed for humanity
Farming
Irrigation of fields above the river level became practical.
Mining
Mines could be drained of water that otherwise limited how deep they could go.
It irrigated fields and drained mines and ships’ holds using human or animal power. Screw-shaped conveyors are still used today.
V
Before and after
Life before and after The Archimedes’ Screw
Before
Repeated bucket lifts.
After
A steady stream by turning a handle.
On larger screens, drag the divider (or use the arrow keys) to give more room to the world before or after.
VI
Its legacy
What came after
MHI 020
The Archimedes’ Screw
Beyond the collection
Pumps
Later pumps solve the same problem by different principles.
Beyond the collection
Screw conveyors
Modern screws move grain, sewage and plastics.
VII
Human stories
The people and the moments
Where was the Hanging Garden?
Some scholars wonder whether the screw was used in the gardens of Babylon, but there is no firm evidence, which is why the date and place remain disputed.
Where accounts differ, this museum follows the documented record and says so.
