What is a Egyptian lever?

Answer 1

the Egyptian lever consists of three parts. Picture a board of lumber. This lumber is balancing on a second piece of wood, known as the fulcrum. The object that is being lifted is at one end of the board, while a third party force is pushing down on the other end so as to lift this object.

So named because of the shaduf, an ancient Egyptian machine with a bucket on one end. The bucket would be dipped in the Nile, and then a person would apply force to the other and of the machine in order to move the bucket and water their crops.