Outdoor Fountains: The Minoan Society
Outdoor Fountains: The Minoan Society During archaeological excavations on the island of Crete, various types of channels have been identified. These were made use of to provide cities with water as well as to reduce flooding and get rid of waste material. Rock and terracotta were the ingredients of choice for these conduits. Whenever made from clay, they were generally in the form of canals and round or rectangle-shaped conduits. There are a couple of illustrations of Minoan terracotta pipes, those with a shortened cone form and a U-shape which have not been observed in any culture since that time. The water availability at Knossos Palace was managed with a system of terracotta piping which was put below the floor, at depths varying from a couple of centimeters to many meters. Along with circulating water, the terracotta water pipes of the Minoans were also made use of to amass water and store it. Therefore, these piping had to be effective to: Subterranean Water Transportation: It is not quite understood why the Minoans required to transport water without it being noticed. Quality Water Transportation: There’s also proof which concludes the piping being utilized to supply water features separately of the local system.
Where did Large Outdoor Fountains Come From?
Where did Large Outdoor Fountains Come From? A fountain, an amazing piece of engineering, not only supplies drinking water as it pours into a basin, it can also propel water high into the air for an extraordinary effect.
Pure functionality was the original role of fountains. Cities, towns and villages made use of nearby aqueducts or springs to supply them with drinking water as well as water where they could bathe or wash. Used until the 19th century, in order for fountains to flow or shoot up into the air, their origin of water such as reservoirs or aqueducts, had to be higher than the water fountain in order to benefit from the power of gravity. Acting as an element of adornment and celebration, fountains also supplied clean, fresh drinking water. Animals or heroes made of bronze or stone masks were often used by Romans to beautify their fountains. Throughout the Middle Ages, Muslim and Moorish garden planners incorporated fountains to create smaller variations of the gardens of paradise. King Louis XIV of France wanted to illustrate his superiority over nature by including fountains in the Gardens of Versailles. The Popes of the 17th and 18th centuries were glorified with baroque style fountains constructed to mark the place of entry of Roman aqueducts.
Indoor plumbing became the main source of water by the end of the 19th century thereby limiting urban fountains to mere decorative elements. Fountains using mechanical pumps instead of gravity helped fountains to deliver recycled water into living spaces as well as create special water effects.
Modern fountains are used to adorn community spaces, honor individuals or events, and enrich recreational and entertainment events.
The Original Public Garden Fountains of History
The Original Public Garden Fountains of History
Towns and villages relied on practical water fountains to channel water for cooking, washing, and cleaning up from nearby sources like lakes, streams, or creeks. A supply of water higher in elevation than the fountain was needed to pressurize the movement and send water spraying from the fountain's spout, a system without equal until the late 19th century. Inspirational and spectacular, large water fountains have been constructed as monuments in most civilizations. Crude in style, the 1st water fountains didn't appear much like present fountains. A natural stone basin, carved from rock, was the very first fountain, used for containing water for drinking and religious functions. Natural stone basins as fountains have been found from 2,000 BC. Early fountains used in ancient civilizations depended on gravity to manipulate the flow of water through the fountain. Positioned near aqueducts or creeks, the practical public water fountains provided the local population with fresh drinking water. Fountains with flowery decoration began to show up in Rome in approximately 6 B.C., normally gods and wildlife, made with stone or copper-base alloy. Water for the open fountains of Rome was brought to the city via a elaborate system of water aqueducts.