What was the impluvium in a Roman house?

In the center of the atrium was the impluvium, a rectangular pool that collected rainwater through a rectangular opening above, the compluvium. From the impluvium, rainwater traveled through pipes leading to cisterns, underground water storage tanks.

What is the difference between the compluvium and impluvium?

is that compluvium is (architecture) a space left unroofed over the court of a dwelling in ancient rome, through which the rain fell into the impluvium or cistern while impluvium is (architecture) a low basin in the center of a household atrium, into which rainwater flowed down from the roof through the compluvium.

What did a Roman domus look like?

The domus included multiple rooms, indoor courtyards, gardens, and beautifully painted walls. Atrium: The atrium was the central hall, almost like a modern-day foyer, and it was the most conspicuous room in a Roman domus.

What is the point of Impluvium?

The impluvium is the sunken part of the atrium in a Greek or Roman house (domus). Designed to carry away the rainwater coming through the compluvium of the roof, it is usually made of marble and placed about 30 cm below the floor of the atrium and emptied into a subfloor cistern.

How does an impluvium work?

What is the impluvium of a house?

The impluvium is the sunken part of the atrium in a Greek or Roman house ( domus ). Designed to carry away the rainwater coming through the compluvium of the roof, it is usually made of marble and placed about 30 cm below the floor of the atrium. Inspection (without excavation) of impluvia in Paestum,…

Where is the impluvium in Pompeii?

A domus, with impluvium numbered 7. Impluvium in the center of the atrium of a former house, ancient Roman Pompeii, Campania, Italy. The drain into the underground cistern is visible. The impluvium is the sunken part of the atrium in a Greek or Roman house (domus).

What is impluvium and compluvium used for?

Impluvium. The combination of the compluvium and impluvium formed an ingenious, effective and attractive manner of collecting, filtering and cooling rainwater and making it available for household use as well as providing cooling of the living spaces.