Who invented the wood plane?

The earliest known wood plane was uncovered in Pompeii and is attributed to the Romans. The wood plane has been in use by craftsman since Ancient Egypt, so its creation cannot be documented to a single inventor.

The earliest recovered wood plane is constructed within a wooden box. The box holds an angled iron plate with a grip for pushing. Sturdier planes were developed during the course of the Roman Empire. Wood planes also appeared in paintings through the 15th and 16th centuries, depicted with a more comfortable grip and a grooved wedge to hold the iron. Much of the development of wood planes through the 19th century is attributed to Leonard Bailey, who refined the innovation of the wood plane.