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Origin and history

La croix de profession de Couffoulens is a medieval cross located in the Aude department, Occitanie. Dated from the 14th and 15th centuries, it is distinguished by its architectural structure: a square base supporting an octagonal column with a square base, surmounted by a cross with arms connected by quarter circles. The edges of these connections are adorned with buds, and each side of the cross has a sculpted circular medallion. These medallions represent tools related to textile handicrafts, such as a cloth trimmer force or a pastel slicer, suggesting its role as a trade cross, one of the oldest in the department.

On the east side, an inscription in Gothic capitals of the 14th or 15th centuries is engraved on banners, while the west side remains anepograph. The cross has been listed as historical monuments since 27 April 1948. It is located to the east of the castle of Couffoulens, on the municipality whose Insee code is 11102. Owned by the municipality, its exact location is reported as 8 Patari Rating, although the accuracy of its location is considered poor (level 5/10).

This monument illustrates the importance of trades corporations in the economic and social life of the Middle Ages in Languedoc. The trade crosses often served as a landmark for artisans, marking their presence in or near a collective workplace. In the case of Couffoulens, sculpted tools specifically evoke textile-related activities, which flourished in the region at that time. The preservation of this cross offers a rare testimony of artisanal practices and symbols associated with medieval professional communities.

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