impluvium

A shallow square or rectangular basin located in the center of the atrium of an ancient Roman House. Impluvia (pl.) were designed to catch rainwater from an opening in the roof (the compluvium). The water drained into a cistern beneath the impluvium.

No 31, Samnite HouseImpluvium. Samnite House, Herculaneum, Italy. 2nd century BCE.