Public fountains were an important part of the street scene in Pompeii. Although the wealthiest Pompeii residents had water sources within their houses, most everyone else relied on public access to water.
Fountains were found at most of the street corners in Pompeii. Each had a large spout with constantly running water and a tank made of four large blocks of volcanic rock. Many had whimsical faces carved into the spout, as this one does.
Sources
For more on the archaeology of Pompeii, see Pompeii: Buried in Ashes. Also see the Walking Tour of the House of the Faun.
Beard, Mary. 2008. The Fires of Vesuvius: Pompeii Lost and Found. Harvard University Press, Cambridge.
