Lanterne des morts

On Romanesque buildings, generally from the 12th century, the lanterns of the dead were originally placed in the centre of cemeteries. They sheltered a lamp that shone all night in honour of the faithful buried in this location. Perhaps, too, they served as a lantern for visitors lost in the night. Around 30 are known of, particularly in the departments of Vienne, Haute-Vienne and Creuse.