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''This page contains information about a typical Venetian wellhead.'' {{for|a list of wellheads|Wellheads}} | ''This page contains information about a typical Venetian wellhead.'' {{for|a list of wellheads|Wellheads}}<div class="dablink">{{for|a list of wellheads|Wellheads}}</div> | ||
A wellhead, ''vera da pozzo'', is the only exposed part of the [[well]] system in Venice. Some local names include ''anello, corona, sponda, cinta, parapetto, spalletta'' or ''bocca di pozzo. ''The wellhead served as a cap on the well to prevent debris from falling into the well and contaminating the fresh water supply. As the well system is no longer the main source of fresh water for Venetians; the Venetian Wellhead is now only considered public art and a vital aspect of the city's historical and artistic value. see [[Public art preservation]] | A wellhead, ''vera da pozzo'', is the only exposed part of the [[well]] system in Venice. Some local names include ''anello, corona, sponda, cinta, parapetto, spalletta'' or ''bocca di pozzo. ''The wellhead served as a cap on the well to prevent debris from falling into the well and contaminating the fresh water supply. As the well system is no longer the main source of fresh water for Venetians; the Venetian Wellhead is now only considered public art and a vital aspect of the city's historical and artistic value. see [[Public art preservation]] | ||
== History == | == History == | ||
The term ‘''vera da pozzo''’ | The term ‘''vera da pozzo''’ has been in use since as early as the eleventh century. <ref>Rizzi, 1981</ref> As a centerpiece of many public squares in Venice, “They were always at the center of socialization and interactivity among Venetians” <ref>Wainwright et al., 2000, pg 16</ref> | ||
As a centerpiece of many public squares in Venice, “They were always at the center of socialization and interactivity among Venetians” <ref>Wainwright et al., 2000, pg 16</ref> | |||
== Retrieving Water == | == Retrieving Water == | ||
Revision as of 16:53, 19 November 2025
This page contains information about a typical Venetian wellhead.
A wellhead, vera da pozzo, is the only exposed part of the well system in Venice. Some local names include anello, corona, sponda, cinta, parapetto, spalletta or bocca di pozzo. The wellhead served as a cap on the well to prevent debris from falling into the well and contaminating the fresh water supply. As the well system is no longer the main source of fresh water for Venetians; the Venetian Wellhead is now only considered public art and a vital aspect of the city's historical and artistic value. see Public art preservation
History
The term ‘vera da pozzo’ has been in use since as early as the eleventh century. [1] As a centerpiece of many public squares in Venice, “They were always at the center of socialization and interactivity among Venetians” [2]
Retrieving Water
Churches were once responsible for locking and unlocking the well at certain times of the day. This was to prevent just anyone from retrieving water from the well at any given time. In order to retrieve water from the well, Venetians typically used ropes to haul buckets of water over the lip of the wellhead. These ropes left grooves in the material of the wellhead as seen below. Some private wellheads had a pulley system installed to retrieve water without damaging the wellhead.
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The mark resulted from retrieving water with a rope
Design
A typical wellhead has a platform, main body and lid. The platforms are short, but can be made up of up to three steps. [3] A typical wellhead has an overall cylindrical or square shape. Often the shape of the base and the shape of the rim are different. The shape of the base is consistently circular while the shape of the rim varies between circular, square, hexagonal and octagonal. The typical wellhead features inscriptions and carvings of saints or family crests. The artistic and structural design of each wellhead is indicative of the art period it was built in.
Material
A Wellhead is constructed with either brick, Istria stone, Red Verona or White Verona. A brick wellhead however will deteriorate over time and as a result the typical wellhead of today is made of Istria Stone, Red Verona or White Verona with only a few exceptions. See Wellheads page. Istria stone is a type of limestone that has a gray-green or yellowish color. Lengthy exposure to the atmosphere causes the stone to obtain a whitish appearance through a process called “whitewashing.” Unfortunately, this also makes Istria stone a prime candidate for exfoliation. Verona marble is a sedimentary rock composed of organic limestone and fossils. It has either a reddish or whitish color depending on the carbon compounds it contains.
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A wellhead made of Istrian Stone -
A wellhead made of Red Verona Stone -
A wellhead made of White Verona Stone
Lid
The Lid of a wellhead is almost always circular in shape and either flat or convex on the top. The most common material for lids is iron, but stone, wood, and bronze lids also exist. Some wellheads have lost their lids, and many have been filled in with concrete.
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A wellhead that has a metal lid -
A wellhead with no lid that has been filled in with concrete -
A wellhead in Chioggia that has a statue as the lid
Serving Nature
In the past, these wellheads served as access points to fresh water for not only the human population of Venice, but the animals as well. Small, bowl-shaped indentations were made in the platforms of some wellheads. These indentations served as a source of fresh drinking water and as baths for the local wild life.
See also
References
Bibliography
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