The Origins Of Outdoor Fountains
The Origins Of Outdoor Fountains The incredible architecture of a fountain allows it to provide clean water or shoot water high into air for dramatic effect and it can also serve as an excellent design feature to enhance your home.From the beginning, outdoor fountains were soley meant to serve as functional elements. People in cities, towns and villages received their drinking water, as well as water to bathe and wash, from aqueducts or springs in the area.
Used until the 19th century, in order for fountains to flow or shoot up into the air, their source of water such as reservoirs or aqueducts, had to be higher than the water fountain in order to benefit from the power of gravity. Fountains were an optimal source of water, and also served to adorn living areas and memorialize the artist. Roman fountains often depicted images of animals or heroes made of bronze or stone masks. To depict the gardens of paradise, Muslim and Moorish garden planners of the Middle Ages added fountains to their designs. King Louis XIV of France wanted to illustrate his dominion over nature by including fountains in the Gardens of Versailles. Seventeen and 18 century Popes sought to extol their positions by including decorative baroque-style fountains at the point where restored Roman aqueducts arrived into the city.
Urban fountains built at the end of the 19th century functioned only as decorative and celebratory adornments since indoor plumbing provided the necessary drinking water. Amazing water effects and recycled water were made possible by replacing the force of gravity with mechanical pumps.
Contemporary fountains are used to adorn public spaces, honor individuals or events, and enrich recreational and entertainment events.
Historic Crete & The Minoans: Wall Fountains
Historic Crete & The Minoans: Wall Fountains A variety of different kinds of conduits have been found through archaeological excavations on the isle of Crete, the birthplace of Minoan society. They were used for water supply as well as removal of storm water and wastewater. Rock and clay were the substances of choice for these conduits. When prepared from terracotta, they were usually in the format of canals and round or rectangular piping. Amidst these were clay piping that were U-shaped or a shorter, cone-like form which have just appeared in Minoan society. Terracotta pipes were laid underneath the flooring at Knossos Palace and used to distribute water. The piping also had other applications including collecting water and channeling it to a centralized area for storing. These clay piping were used to perform: Underground Water Transportation: Originally this process appears to have been fashioned not quite for convenience but to provide water for chosen people or rites without it being spotted. Quality Water Transportation: The pipes may also have been utilized to haul water to water fountains which were distinct from the city’s regular system.