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Origin and history

The cross of Turcey, dated from the 15th century, is a hosanary cross, a type of Christian funeral monument spread between the 12th and 16th centuries, especially in western France. These buildings, which lacked a lighting system unlike the lanterns of the dead, often marked the location of a mass grave or ossuary. Their classic structure includes a circular stone base, a full cylindrical column, and a summital cross. In Turcey, the hexagonal pedestal with concave faces and the flowered cross, decorated with round-bosse sculptures, illustrate this monumental model.

The term hosannière could derive from Hebrew exclamation Hosanna, associated with Palm Sunday in the 14th century. In some regions such as Poitou or Limousin, branches of blessed boxwood (hosanne or ozanne) were deposited at the foot of these crosses, a tradition attested until the beginning of the 20th century. The Turcey Cross, originally located in the old cemetery, was moved in 1884 to the new funeral site after the transformation of the space into a public square. Classified as a Historic Monument in 1905, it bears witness to medieval religious and commemorative practices.

Architecturally, this monument is distinguished by its octagonal barrel and its flowered cross, characteristic of the 15th century achievements. The four ground consoles and the triple cornice in the pedestal larmium reflect a marked craftsmanship. Although the Hosannières crosses are the majority in the West (Poitou, Charentes, Normandy), their presence in Burgundy-Franche-Comté, as in Turcey, highlights a wider spread of this funerary heritage. Today, a communal property, the cross remains a symbol of the link between sacred and collective memory.

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