The Original Outdoor Fountains

The water from rivers and other sources was originally supplied to the occupants of nearby towns and municipalities by way of water fountains, whose purpose was mainly practical, not artistic. A supply of water higher in elevation than the fountain was required to pressurize the movement and send water spraying from the fountain's nozzle, a system without equal until the late nineteenth century. Fountains spanning history have been created as monuments, impressing local citizens and travelers alike. The contemporary fountains of today bear little similarity to the first water fountains. The very news first known water fountain was a stone basin carved that served as a container for drinking water and ceremonial functions. Stone basins are believed to have been first made use of around 2000 BC. The very first civilizations that used fountains depended on gravity to drive water through spigots. Drinking water was supplied by public fountains, long before fountains became elaborate public statues, as beautiful as they are practical. Fountains with flowery decoration started to appear in Rome in approximately 6 BC, usually gods and creatures, made with stone or bronze. A well-engineered collection of reservoirs and aqueducts kept Rome's public water fountains supplied with fresh water.