Where did Fountains Originate from?
Where did Fountains Originate from?
A fountain, an incredible piece of engineering, not only supplies drinking water as it pours into a basin, it can also propel water high into the air for a noteworthy effect. Pure functionality was the original role of fountains. People in cities, towns and villages received their drinking water, as well as water to bathe and wash, via aqueducts or springs in the area. Up until the nineteenth, fountains had to be more elevated and closer to a water source, including aqueducts and reservoirs, in order to benefit from gravity which fed the fountains. Fountains were an optimal source of water, and also served to adorn living areas and memorialize the artist. Roman fountains usually depicted imagery of animals or heroes made of metal or stone masks. Muslims and Moorish garden designers of the Middle Ages included fountains to re-create smaller versions of the gardens of paradise. Fountains enjoyed a considerable role in the Gardens of Versailles, all part of French King Louis XIV’s desire to exert his power over nature. The Romans of the 17th and 18th centuries manufactured baroque decorative fountains to glorify the Popes who commissioned them as well as to mark the location where the restored Roman aqueducts entered the city.
Since indoor plumbing became the norm of the day for fresh, drinking water, by the end of the 19th century urban fountains were no longer needed for this purpose and they became purely ornamental. The creation of special water effects and the recycling of water were 2 things made possible by swapping gravity with mechanical pumps.
Modern-day fountains function mostly as decoration for open spaces, to honor individuals or events, and compliment entertainment and recreational events.
The Earliest Outdoor Water Fountains
The Earliest Outdoor Water Fountains Towns and communities depended on practical water fountains to funnel water for preparing food, washing, and cleaning from nearby sources like ponds, streams, or creeks. To produce water flow through a fountain until the end of the 1800’s, and generate a jet of water, required gravity and a water source such as a spring or lake, positioned higher than the fountain. Fountains spanning history have been developed as monuments, impressing local citizens and tourists alike. If you saw the earliest fountains, you would not identify them as fountains. A natural stone basin, carved from rock, was the first fountain, used for containing water for drinking and spiritual purposes. The initial stone basins are presumed to be from about 2000 B.C.. The spraying of water appearing from small spouts was forced by gravity, the sole power source builders had in those days. Situated near reservoirs or creeks, the practical public water fountains provided the local population with fresh drinking water. Wildlife, Gods, and religious figures dominated the early ornate Roman fountains, beginning to appear in about 6 BC. The impressive aqueducts of Rome provided water to the spectacular public fountains, many of which you can visit today.