A Concise History of the Early Water Features
A Concise History of the Early Water Features
As originally developed, water fountains were crafted to be functional, directing water from streams or aqueducts to the citizens of cities and villages, where the water could be used for cooking, cleaning, and drinking. In the days before electrical power, the spray of fountains was powered by gravity alone, usually using an aqueduct or water source located far away in the nearby hills. The elegance and wonder of fountains make them appropriate for historic monuments. If you saw the 1st fountains, you probably would not identify them as fountains. Crafted for drinking water and ceremonial purposes, the first fountains were basic carved stone basins. 2000 B.C. is when the earliest known stone fountain basins were actually used. The spray of water emerging from small spouts was pushed by gravity, the only power source designers had in those days. The placement of the fountains was driven by the water source, which is why you’ll normally find them along reservoirs, waterways, or streams. Beasts, Gods, and Spiritual figures dominated the very early ornate Roman fountains, beginning to show up in about 6 BC. A well-engineered collection of reservoirs and aqueducts kept Rome's public fountains supplied with fresh water.
Public Water Fountains in and Around Berkley, California
Public Water Fountains in and Around Berkley, California The very first American city to pass a tax on sugary drinks was Berkley, California in February 2014. By making soda more costly, it’s expected that people will make healthier choices for what their children drink, like water for instance. Efforts were made to find out the condition of neighborhood drinking water fountains in both high- and low-income neighborhoods. By creating a mobile GPS application, specialists were able to gather data on Berkley’s drinking water fountains. Demographic data on race and earnings was then gathered using the US Census database. Evaluations were made between the location and demographic data, revealing whether class differences affected access to clean, functional water fountains. The surrounding demographics of every single water fountain location was made note of, while also identifying whether race or income rates made a huge difference in the state of repair of each fountain. The fact that the fountains were functioning was not a guarantee that they were well-maintained, given that quite a few were in need of cleaning and repair.
Rome’s Early Water Delivery Solutions
Rome’s Early Water Delivery Solutions With the construction of the first raised aqueduct in Rome, the Aqua Anio Vetus in 273 BC, individuals who lived on the city’s hillsides no longer had to be dependent only on naturally-occurring spring water for their demands. If inhabitants living at higher elevations did not have accessibility to springs or the aqueduct, they’d have to rely on the other existing technologies of the time, cisterns that accumulated rainwater from the sky and subterranean wells that drew the water from below ground. In the very early sixteenth century, the city began to utilize the water that ran underground through Acqua Vergine to furnish 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 primarily designed to make it possible to service the aqueduct, Cardinal Marcello Crescenzi started using the manholes to get water from the channel, starting when he bought the property in 1543. The cistern he had built to gather rainwater wasn’t sufficient to meet his water demands.
To give himself with a much more streamlined means to obtain water, he had one of the manholes exposed, giving him access to the aqueduct below his residence.
Where did Landscape Fountains Come From?
Where did Landscape Fountains Come From? A water fountain is an architectural piece that pours water into a basin or jets it high into the air in order to supply drinkable water, as well as for decorative purposes.Originally, fountains only served a practical purpose. Residents of cities, townships and small towns utilized them as a source of drinking water and a place to wash, which meant that fountains needed to be linked to nearby aqueduct or spring. Used until the nineteenth 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. Designers thought of fountains as wonderful additions to a living space, however, the fountains also served to supply clean water and honor the designer responsible for building it.
Animals or heroes made of bronze or stone masks were often used by Romans to beautify their fountains. During the Middle Ages, Muslim and Moorish garden designers included fountains in their designs to mimic the gardens of paradise. Fountains played a considerable role in the Gardens of Versailles, all part of French King Louis XIV’s desire to exert his power over nature. The Popes of the 17th and 18th centuries were glorified with baroque style fountains made to mark the arrival points of Roman aqueducts.
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 decorative. Impressive water effects and recycled water were made possible by replacing the power of gravity with mechanical pumps.
These days, fountains adorn public spaces and are used to honor individuals or events and fill recreational and entertainment needs.