Umthombo

**Umthombo** ovela kwelasiLatini ("isiqu esithi umthombo") okusho ukuthi umthombo noma isiphethu okuyithange lokuhlobisa elisetshenziselwa ukukhipha amanzi. Futhi eliyisakhiwo esijikijela amanzi emoyeni ukuze kuhlotshiswe.

Kudala imithombo yayisebenza uma ngabe ixhunywe emithonjeni noma emifudlaneni futhi yayisetshenziselwa ukunikeza amanzi okuphuza namanzi okugeza ezakhamuzini zamadolobha, namadolobhana. Kuze kube sekupheleni kwekhulu neshumi nesishiyagalolunye(19) imithombo eminingi yayisebenza ngamandla adonsela phansi, futhi yayidinga umthamo wamanzi ophakeme kunomthombo, njengethange noma umsele wamanzi, owenza amanzi agelezele noma aphume emoyeni.

Ngaphandle kokunikeza amanzi okuphuza, imithombo yayisetshenziselwa ukuhlobisa nokugubha abakhi bayo. Imithombo yamaRoma yayihlotshiswe nge-bronze noma ngamatshe ezifihla-buso zezilwane noma amaqhawe. ENkathini ephakathi abalimi bezingadi abangamaMoor nabamaSulumane babesebenzisa imithombo ukuze bakhe izinhlobo ezincane zezingadi zepharadesi. INkosi uLouis XIV yaseFrance yayisebenzisa imithombo ezingadini zaseVersailles ukubonisa amandla ayo phezu kwemvelo. Imithombo yokuhlobisa ye-baroque yaseRoma ngekhulu leshumi nesikhombisa(17) kanye neshumi nesishiyagalombili(18) yaphawula ukufakwa kwemisele yamanzi yaseRoma eyavuselelwa futhi yakhazimulisa obaba ababeyakha.

Ngasekupheleni kwekhulu neshumi nesishiyagalolunye(19) imithombo yasemadolobheni yayiba eyokuhlobisa kuphela. Amaphampu omshini athathwa indawo yamandla adonsela phansi futhi yayivumela imithombo ukuba isebenzise kabusha amanzi futhi ayiphoqe emoyeni. I-Jet d'Eau ichibi laseGeneva elakhiwa ngo-1951 lalikhipha amanzi amamitha ayikhulu namashumi amane (460 emoyeni). Umthombo ophakeme kakhulu emhlabeni yi-King Fahd's Fountain Jeddah, eSaudi Arabia ekhipha amanzi amamitha angamakhulu amabili nesithupha (850  ngaphezu koLwandle Olubomvu.

Imithombo yayisetshenziselwa ukuhlobisa amapaki namagumbi edolobha ukuhlonipha abantu noma imicimbi ukuzilibazisa nokuzijabulisa. Ichibi lokubhukuda lalivumela izakhamuzi zedolobha ukuba zingene emanzini futhi ziphole ehlobo. Umthombo womculo wahlanganisa ama-jet amanzi ahambayo, izibani ezinemibala kanye nomculo oqoshiwe owawulawulwa yikhompuyutha ukuze kube nemiphumela emikhulu. Imithombo ngokwayo ingaba yizinsimbi zomculo ezidlalwa ngokuvimbela eyodwa noma engaphezulu yezinsiza zamanzi. Imithombo yokuphuza yayinikeza amanzi okuphuza ahlanzekile ezakhiweni zomphakathi, amapaki kanye nasezindaweni zomphakathi.

Impucuko yasendulo yakha amachibi amatshe ukuze kuboshwe futhi kugcinwe amanzi okuphuza ayigugu. Ibhakede lamatshe eliqoshiwe elaqala cishe angamakhulu ayisikhombisa(700 BC) atholakala emanxiweni edolobha lasendulo laseSumeria yeLagash ne Iraq yanamuhla. Ama-Asiriya asendulo akha uchungechunge lwamachibi esihosheni soMfula iComel, aqoshwe edwaleni eliqinile elixhumene ngemisele emincane ehlele emfudlaneni. Isigodi esasiphansi kakhulu sasihlotshiswe ngemifanekiso eqoshiwe ngamabhubesi amabili. AmaGibithe asendulo ayenamasistimu anobuhlakani okuphakamisela amanzi eMfuleni iNayile ukuze aphuzwe futhi anisele kodwa ngaphandle komthombo ophakeme wamanzi kwakungenakwenzeka amanzi ageleze ngamandla adonsela phansi. Kunemithombo emise okwebhubesi Ithempeli laseDendera I-Qena.&nbsp;

## Izinkomba