Mercury Water Fountain, Pompeii, Italy
MERCURY WATER FOUNTAIN, POMPEII: On August 25th, 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius erupted. The city of Pompeii was covered in volcanic ash and people literally died in their tracks, trying to take cover from the poison raining down on them. The whole place was frozen in time. Today, it’s a major tourist site, with the most popular attractions being the people and animals (in plaster effigy) found in the extensive excavations that began in the late 1700s. Public water fountains are found everywhere on the site. This one features the god Mercury. He was the god of mischief, eloquence and wit. He also acted as the messenger of other gods. He had wings on his gold hat and the sandals of his feet to help him speed from one destination to the next. I like the subtle, weathered and worn features of this fountain.
Shot handheld with a Nikon S7000, at 110mm, f5.4, 1/60 sec. ISO 64. Photo by John Ecker | Pantheon Photography
Pantheon
pantheon photography | john ecker 