Sacred Spring

Springs were areas of both practical and religious significance in the ancient world. In times when rivers were prone to contamination and subject to seasonal variations, springs provided a consistent source of pure water for a population. The necessity of water earned it a place in the mythology of many ancient religions, and the sight of this precious substance gushing out of the ground was enough evidence for many sites to be declared sacred. Legends sprang up to explain their origins and miraculous powers were often assigned to them, invoked by votive offerings of precious objects.