Traditional streets are narrow and filled with stones on the surface. Generally there is a sloping downward from both sides to meet in the middle, to keep the rain water away from the walls of the houses. The large eaves of the roofs serve the same purpose. In the traditional streets residents could fill their pitchers or passers by could drink from the street fountains built into one of the walls and sometimes located in a cul-de-sac (blind alley). The old miniatures and pictures show that the houses were painted white, indigo, pale pink, light yellow and green.