<P> A wishing well is a term from European folklore to describe wells where it was thought that any spoken wish would be granted . The idea that a wish would be granted came from the notion that water housed deities or had been placed there as a gift from the gods . This practice is thought to have arisen because water is a source of life, and was often a scarce commodity . </P> <P> The Germanic and Celtic peoples considered springs and wells sacred places . Sometimes the places were marked with wooden statues possibly of the god associated with the pool . Germanic peoples were known to throw the armour and weapons of defeated enemies into bogs and other pools of water as offerings to their gods . Water was seen to have healing powers, and wells became popular, with many people drinking the water, bathing in it or just simply wishing over it . Some people believed that the guardians or dwellers of the well would grant them their wish if they paid a price . After uttering the wish, one would generally drop coins in the well . That wish would then be granted by the guardian or dweller, based upon how the coin would land at the bottom of the well . If the coin landed heads up, the guardian of the well would grant the wish, but the wish of a tails up coin would be ignored . It was thus potentially lucky to throw coins in the well, but it depended on how they landed . </P> <P> The tradition of dropping pennies in ponds and fountains stems from this . Coins would be placed there as gifts for the deity to show appreciation . </P>

Where did throwing coins in a fountain originate