Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Roman column of Sencenac is a Gallo-Roman vestige of the third century, now installed in front of the Saint-Symphorian church of Sencenac-Puy-de-Fourches. Its exact origin (building and original location) remains unknown, but its architectural style – a twisted canned half-button and a corinthian capital adorned with palmettes – bears witness to its belonging to the ancient period. It rests on a stone base itself laid on a concrete base, probably later added.

Ranked a historic monument on January 27, 1948, this column would have been surmounted by a cross, now extinct. Its movement in front of the church dates from at least the 19th century, after the merger of the communes of Sencenac and Puy-de-Fourches in 1829. Since 2019, it is located on the territory of the new municipality of Brantôme in Périgord, in the Dordogne department.

The column illustrates the Gallo-Roman heritage of the region, marked by the presence of ancient remains reused or displaced over the centuries. Its current state, though partial, offers a rare example of Roman architectural decoration in rural areas. Sources also mention its listing in heritage bases such as Mérimée and the Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire, highlighting its historical and archaeological interest.

The Dordogne, rich in Gallo-Roman sites, preserves several traces of this period, often later integrated in medieval or modern contexts. The Sencenac column, although isolated, is part of this regional heritage, where the reuse of ancient materials was common. Its classification in 1948 reflects the desire to preserve these fragile testimonies of antiquity.

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