The edifice of the state fell after Kubrat’s death and the Bulgarians followed a tradition they had kept from time immemorial. They split into several large groups and sought deliverance and happiness elsewhere.

A large portion of the Bulgarians, led by the youngest son of Kubrat, Asparuh /or Ispor/, headed west along the familiar route to Europe. They settled in the so-called Ongul, in the delta of the Danube. There they encountered both Slavs

• The Thirteenth Floor full

and Byzantines.

The culture of the Bulgarians was quite different from that of the Slavs and on a higher level in many respects. They had long left behind familial community relations. Their traditions in statehood were impressive. They had been making attempts to establish a stable state structure for hundreds of years. They had both familial hereditary aristocracy, and an administrative apparatus. They were proud of their past. They drew up genealogical lists of their rulers, which went back to time immemorial.

The sword of Khan Kubrat

A rich funeral was discovered in the village of Malaya Pereschepina, present-day Ukraine, in 1912. The hoard of gold objects weighing more than 20 kg is currently kept at the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. Many historians have recently voiced the opinion that it was Khan Kubrat’s grave that was discovered. This name is inscribed on two of the remaining gold rings. The finds include a gold scepter more than 1.5 meters long, and among other things, a beautiful sword encased in gold and luxurious battle belts. It seems that 250 gold platelets covered the no longer extant wooden coffin. There are still arguments whether this exactly was the place where Kubrat was killed, as it is quite far from the borders of Great Bulgaria such as we know them. But could it be that a trusty servant buried the ruler’s treasure when the Hazars destroyed the state?

Their military might depended mainly on the cavalry, for which they cared meticulously. As was the usual during the middle ages, the Bulgarian economy to a great extent depended on war. War brought considerable revenue and the army had to be primed to fight at any time in order to be victorious. The khan, who headed the horde and then the state, had his own permanent guard. Larger undertakings were made with militia that mobilized all men, although in fact women frequently took part in the battles. Their cavalry, which inspired terror in their enemies, consisted of disciplined warriors clad in iron who were used to harsh living conditions and managed on very little. Awed Byzantines said their favorite food was raw horsemeat kept under the saddle for days to become tender under the weight of the rider and the sweat of the horse. It is quite another matter whether this dish was the epitome of Bulgarian culinary skill. In any case, just as with most of the other semi nomadic and nomadic tribes, which relied on the horse for their economy, the fermented mares’ milk called kumis was probably their preferred drink.

Artisans were highly respected as they forged armour, swords, arrowheads, hoes and shovels. They were skilled potters and their leather products were famous. The Byzantines were impressed by their richly ornamented belts, which showcased their standing in the social hierarchy. The Bulgarians were not typical nomads. True, they bred animals, but they did not look down on farming, either. Excavations in the lands they inhabited have revealed farm tools and remnants of millet and wheat. Unlike the Slavs, the Bulgarians had reached a point of development, which necessitated the use of an alphabet. Many historians claim that they had a sort of alphabet but definite proof of that is still lacking. In any case, the Bulgarians used the Greek alphabet to compile documents, annals, inventories of equipment and weapons, and solemn inscriptions. The Bulgarian religious system was much more developed. They, too, believed in different gods but, just as in their society, there was a strict hierarchy of the deities, headed by the supreme god of the skies, Tangra. It seems they also worshiped the sky and the sun. There was also a cult of totem animals. They also differed from the Slavs in that they had their own priests.

Similar Topics from Ancient Bulgaria Archive