Presumed construction XIIe siècle (≈ 1250)
Estimated period of the cross.
26 janvier 1929
MH classification
MH classification 26 janvier 1929 (≈ 1929)
Order of protection for historical monuments.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Cross of the 12th century known as the Ciriex: classification by decree of 26 January 1929
Key figures
Marguerite Charageat - History of Art
Studyed the limo crosses (1924).
Origin and history
La Croix du Ciriex is a medieval cross located in Bassignac-le-Haut, in the Corrèze department, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Dating from the 12th century, it is typical of the limousine crossroads crosses, with an openwork entourage and a granite barrel of about 3 meters high. Its summit has a "redented circle", a distinctive form of the region.
Ranked a historical monument by decree of 26 January 1929, this cross is located at the site called Le Siriex. It features two sculpted representations: one Christ on one side, and one person with his hands crossed on the other side. Its style and motifs make it a remarkable example of the Uradours (cross of crossroads) of Limousin, studied in particular by Marguerite Charageat in the Monumental Bulletin of 1924.
The cross belongs to the commune of Bassignac-le-Haut and illustrates regional Romanesque art. Its iconography and form reflect the religious and funeral practices of the Middle Ages in Limousin, where these monuments often served as landmarks or places of devotion. The accuracy of its location is estimated as "a priori satisfactory" (level 6/10), based on available data.
