Biomechanics History
A look back in time at the lever and the spine.The lever as a tool was probably used for simple things like prying and moving rocks since time immemorial.
The lever can be seen as a working tool as long as 5,000 years ago in Egypt.
The shaduf was used by ancient Egyptians to help farmers get water from the Nile to dry land to irrigate their crops. The weight at the far end provided a "see-saw" mechanism which aided the farmer in lifting the bucket of water to land.