Paper short abstract:

Sites of water are fundamental in expanding territories by dynamic (corporal) forces and establish those territories as stable (flexible volumes). Spatial aspects are crossed and enhanced by dynamic social activities of identity groups. These general issues shall be looked at closer by the example of the development of architectural structures of water displaying sites in the Roman Empire from the 1st to the 3rd century AD, the „nymphaea“:

Paper long abstract:

Water is a fundamental human necessity: physically, aesthetically and symbolically. The structure and quality of water itself reflects this: fluency and liquidity are physical aggregate qualities. Osmotic qualities attract the human senses, especially the functions of the skin, and lead to an aesthetic perception of water by the senses. Symbolic qualities as force ("Urgewalt"), infinite iteration ("panta rhei", e.g. phenomena like rain, periodically dry wells, tempests) and the relation of water to light (clearness, transparence, optical fraction) create respect and estimation of water. Relations of cult places to water reflect these topics. The sites of water are fundamental in expanding territories by dynamic (corporal) forces and establish those territories as stable (flexible volumes). Spatial aspects are crossed and enhanced by dynamic social activities of identity groups. These general issues shall be looked at closer by the example of the development of architectural structures of water displaying sites in the Roman Empire from the 1st to the 3rd century AD, the "nymphaea":

- Does monumental architectonic structuring of sites, where water is on display, create identity via aesthetic perception?

- What are the primary elements of this identity building process: material (water, stone), dynamics (fluent water) or sensual qualities (impression, refreshment)?

- What is the character of this identity: individual or social, private (copies of the architecture in private houses) or public (space is filled with recognizable structures, creation of social memory)?

- Are the nymphaea to be seen as the final products of logistic and architectonical establishment of space via dynamic structuring processes (self-creating space by own dynamics)?