The First Documented Public Fountains of Human History

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The First Documented Public Fountains of Human History As originally conceived, water fountains were crafted to be practical, guiding water from creeks or aqueducts to the residents of cities and villages, where the water could be utilized for cooking food, cleaning, and drinking. To generate water flow through a fountain until the end of the 1800’s, and create a jet of water, mandated the force of gravity and a water source such as a creek or lake, situated higher than the fountain. Striking and spectacular, large water fountains have been built as monuments in many societies. The common fountains of today bear little resemblance to the first water fountains. Crafted for drinking water and ceremonial purposes, the first fountains were very simple carved stone basins. Rock basins are theorized to have been first made use of around the year 2000 BC. The first civilizations that used fountains depended on gravity to force water through spigots. These historic fountains were built to be functional, usually situated along aqueducts, streams and waterways to provide drinking water. Fountains with embellished Gods, mythological monsters, and creatures began to appear in Rome in about 6 B.C., made from rock and bronze. The impressive aqueducts of Rome supplied water to the spectacular public fountains, many of which you can travel to today.

Original Water Delivery Solutions in The City Of Rome

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Previous to 273, when the very first elevated aqueduct, Aqua Anio Vetus, was constructed in Roma, residents who resided on hillsides had to travel even further down to gather their water from natural sources. When aqueducts or springs weren’t easily accessible, people dwelling at greater elevations turned to water drawn from underground or rainwater, which was made possible by wells and cisterns. In the early sixteenth century, the city began to make use of the water that flowed underground through Acqua Vergine to furnish drinking water to Pincian Hill. As originally constructed, the aqueduct was provided along the length of its channel with pozzi (manholes) constructed at regular intervals. Although they were originally manufactured to make it possible to service the aqueduct, Cardinal Marcello Crescenzi started using the manholes to gather water from the channel, opening when he purchased the property in 1543. He didn’t get a sufficient quantity of water from the cistern that he had built on his residential property to gather rainwater. To provide himself with a more effective way to assemble water, he had one of the manholes opened, offering him access to the aqueduct below his residence.