The column wave is a 16th-century stage machine created to mimic movement of the ocean.
Developed by Nicola Sabbatini, the machine was an effective way to give the appearance of a wave-filled sea.
The column wave was built by attaching slightly bent bars through cylinders made of wood and burlap.
These tubes were attached to cranks that, when turned, made the stretched burlap quiver while the disks created a flowing motion.
Combining several of these in a row gave the audience a more realistic sea than had been seen on stage before.