What is a Fountain House?
Fountain Houses date back to the Archaic and Classical periods of ancient Greece. They are found in the Agora -- a main area of ancient greek cities where business, prayer, and gathering took place. Fountain houses contained literal fountains where citizens could collect water. Springs were tapped and plumbing was built to transfer water from springs to the Agoras. Fountain houses were often gathering places for women, who would draw water for their homes in the Agora. Besides the Agora, Fountain Houses could also be found in sanctuaries, where they were likely used for ritual cleansing.