The Very First Fountains of the Historical Past
The Very First Fountains of the Historical Past As initially conceived, fountains were crafted to be functional, guiding water from streams or reservoirs to the residents of towns and villages, where the water could be used for cooking, cleaning, and drinking. To generate water flow through a fountain until the later part of the 1800’s, and create a jet of water, required gravity and a water source such as a spring or lake, situated higher than the fountain. Commonly used as monuments and commemorative edifices, water fountains have influenced people from all over the globe throughout the centuries. If you saw the first fountains, you would not identify them as fountains. Created for drinking water and ceremonial purposes, the initial fountains were basic carved stone basins. Rock basins are believed to have been first utilized around 2000 BC. The force of gravity was the energy source that controlled the initial water fountains. Drinking water was provided by public fountains, long before fountains became decorative public statues, as beautiful as they are functional. Animals, Gods, and Spiritual figures dominated the very early ornate Roman fountains, starting to show up in about 6 B.C.. The remarkable aqueducts of Rome provided water to the eye-catching public fountains, many of which you can visit today.Where did Fountains Begin?
Where did Fountains Begin? A fountain, an amazing piece of engineering, not only supplies drinking water as it pours into a basin, it can also launch water high into the air for an extraordinary effect.Pure practicality was the original purpose of fountains.
Inhabitants of cities, townships and small towns utilized them as a source of drinking water and a place to wash, which meant that fountains had to be connected to nearby aqueduct or spring. Until the late 19th, century most water fountains operated using gravity to allow water to flow or jet into the air, therefore, they needed a supply of water such as a reservoir or aqueduct located higher than the fountain. Artists thought of fountains as amazing additions to a living space, however, the fountains also served to provide clean water and honor the designer responsible for building it. The main materials used by the Romans to create their fountains were bronze or stone masks, mostly illustrating animals or heroes. To illustrate the gardens of paradise, Muslim and Moorish garden planners of the Middle Ages introduced fountains to their designs. The fountains found in the Gardens of Versailles were intended to show the power over nature held by King Louis XIV of France. To mark the entryway of the restored Roman aqueducts, the Popes of the 17th and 18th centuries commissioned the building of baroque style fountains in the spot where the aqueducts arrived in the city of Rome
Indoor plumbing became the main source of water by the end of the 19th century thereby limiting urban fountains to mere decorative elements. The creation of unique water effects and the recycling of water were 2 things made possible by swapping gravity with mechanical pumps.
These days, fountains adorn public spaces and are used to pay tribute to individuals or events and fill recreational and entertainment needs.