Public fountains were an important part of the street scene in Pompeii, the Roman town of 25,00 inhabitants, buried under layers of ash and rock during the eruption of Mt Vesuvius in 79 AD. Although the wealthier residents had fresh water sources within their homes, most everyone else relied on public access to the water fountains found at most street corners. These water spouts from some of those fountains were on display at the archaeology museum in Naples.
