LANTERN OF THE DEAD

In Poitou-Charentes, the lanterns of the dead were structures used to honor the deceased. Constantly lit, these lanterns symbolized the immortality of the soul and divine light, reminding the living of their spiritual duties, including prayers for the dead. Although some travelers might use them as landmarks in the dark, their primary function was symbolic rather than practical. The ^12th-century Pranzac lantern is a vestige of the region's ancient cemetery.