VOLTAIC PILE (VOLTA PILE)

"The first (1800) laboratory source of electricity, essentially what we would call today a non-rechargeable battery. Volta assembled (piled up) different metal disks (e.g., copper and zinc) separated by solution soaked pasteboards, repeating the pattern many tens of times. This was essentially a battery containing many series-coupled Daniell cells (a cell which was a later improvement) providing rather high cell voltage and current capabilities, but very short life time. "