182:
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on the left a dog is running after the horseman. The carving of the horseman's halo and garments, as well as the bird in front of the horseman's face, are barely recognizable due to centuries of erosion and the generally poor condition of the monument. The relief is similar to the carbon images found in
Saltovo, Soulek,
251:
The relief sculpture depicts a majestic horseman, approximately 23 m (75 ft) above ground level, carved into an almost vertical 100 m-high (328 ft) cliff. The sculpture is almost life-size. The horseman, facing right, is thrusting a spear into a lion lying at his horse's feet, and
365:
The complex is commonly dated to the second quarter of the ninth century, as the 1970s excavations dated the pottery between the 8th and the 10th centuries. Some argue that the earliest buildings were founded after the conversion to
Christianity. Thus the pagan temple (i.e. church) and the building
357:
In 1924–1935, beneath the relief (some 250 m north) were found the remnants of a complex believed to have served as a pagan shrine (three-aisled church) and a rectangular building, probably the ruler's private dwelling, where the ruler did sacral rituals related to Tangra. At the site was also
275:
and the newly arrived
Bulgars' particular cults. The monumental size and iconography, and many of the specific details (stirrup, halo, skull-cup, bird, etc.) are generally part of Bulgar tradition, while the rightward direction and the lion are more typical of Thracian tradition.
369:
Later in the 20th century, two miles (c. 3.2 km) northeast from the relief was found another group of buildings consisting of a 5th–6th century basilica with inner rectangular structure, which some have interpreted as the pagan temple (though without clear evidence).
287:. The motif typically features a caped horseman astride a steed, with a spear poised in his right hand. He is often depicted as slaying a beast with a spear, although this feature is sometime absent. Initially considered (and later abandoned) by
1278:
419:
did not trust the emperor with the cut-off nose and went back to the
Kisiniie one of his The ruler Tervel made a treaty and gave to the emperor five thousand with my help the emperor scored a fine victory.
386:(701–718 AD), thus it is considered that the relief was created during his rule or immediately after the Bulgars settled the region in 680–681 AD. The other inscriptions refer to the Khans
430:
gold. He gave eighteen gold the ruler soldiers a ruler the Greeks (Byzantines) what I gave to you, I will give you every year, and the emperor sent to the ruler and asked the ruler
382:, carved in the rock, can be found around the image of the rider. They bear important information regarding the history of Bulgaria in the period. The oldest inscription is the work of
998:
987:
976:
965:
954:
943:
932:
1020:
1009:
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would have been built on an early
Byzantine basilica. To the west of the building was found evidence of a Christian burial, with a golden decorated belt, dated c. 900 AD.
1238:
181:
117:
1450:
434:
the ruler divided the gold began he gave from the ruler
Krumesis gave that sea you did the ruler war they tore the treaties war then name
1430:
295:, this assumption was gradually rejected because of differences in the iconographic details, and the relation with the animals (there's no dog).
1231:
744:
1150:
Fiedler, Uwe (2008). "Bulgars in the Lower Danube region: A survey of the archaeological evidence and of the state of current research". In
1440:
1121:
1017:
1006:
995:
984:
973:
962:
951:
940:
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1208:Веселин Бешевлиев, "Първобългарски надписи", Издателство на Българската академия на науките, София, 1979 (Medieval Greek, Bulgarian).
1247:
1445:
1083:
1455:
523:
1202:
Vesselin
Beschevliev, "Les inscriptions du relief de Madara", Bsl, 16, 1955, p. 212–254 (Medieval Greek, French).
268:
The meaning and symbolism of the sculpture is uncertain, as well as its actual masonry tradition and cultural source.
1425:
1186:
1165:
1140:
154:
1037:
1465:
1460:
1435:
46:
228:. The monument is dated to the very late 7th or more often the very early 8th century, during the reign of the
1288:
62:
110:
288:
1303:
25:
1298:
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mythology. It is sometimes considered that the horseman represents or is related to the Bulgar deity
750:
284:
86:
1293:
1205:
Vesselin
Beschevliev, "Die protobulgarischen Inschriften", Berlin, 1963 (Medieval Greek, German).
1339:
502:
341:
Still others have noted a simpler explanation: that the relief was intended to represent Khan
1420:
488:
1313:
1132:
The Voices of
Medieval Bulgaria, Seventh-Fifteenth Century: The Records of a Bygone Culture
1112:
8:
1273:
678:"Combat against a lion on the votive plaques of the Thracian Rider (a database analysis)"
518:
477:
446:
359:
240:
408:
198:
1182:
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1136:
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280:
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431:
331:
225:
1087:
292:
1363:
1279:
Ancient and
Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe
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Many scholars connect the origin of the relief with the ethnogenesis of the
1151:
1041:
464:
416:
404:
1063:"Bulgaria Chooses Madara Horseman for National Symbol at Euro Coin Design"
1387:
494:
213:
35:
345:(701–718 AD), or, once considered likely but now usually rejected, Khan
1157:
The Other Europe in the Middle Ages: Avars, Bulgars, Khazars and Cumans
506:
460:
394:(814–831 AD), who are most likely the ones who ordered the carvings.
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75:
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221:
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1371:
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was won by the Madara Horseman with 25.44 percent of the votes.
463:
Omurtag, ruler from god was and made sacrifice to god Tangra
283:– a recurring motif of a deity in the form of a horseman in the
271:
The relief probably incorporates elements of both autochthonous
1367:
1351:
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342:
335:
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1383:
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The Greek Settlements in Thrace Until the Macedonian Conquest
487:
A June 29, 2008, official survey on the design of Bulgaria's
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323:
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Some early researchers have considered it an example of the
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387:
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tradition. The hero-horseman is a common character of
310:. Others have seen in the relief a resemblance to the
925:
573:
563:
561:
559:
557:
1246:
1084:"Bulgaria chooses heritage site to adorn euro coins"
907:
742:
639:
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407:
the emperor made a treaty the Bulgars and came to
895:
697:
Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses, Devils and Demons
554:
1402:
671:
669:
1232:
738:
736:
509:is named after the historic site of Madara.
1451:Buildings and structures in Shumen Province
666:
185:A wider view of the rock with Madara Rider.
1239:
1225:
743:Stancheva, Magdalina; Totyu Totev (1996).
34:
1174:
835:
823:
799:
733:
621:
928:. Notes and Coins in Circulation: 1999:
709:
703:
684:. Vol. XVI. pp. 213, 216, 218.
236:. In 1979, the monument was listed as a
180:
1149:
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1038:"Bulgaria selected the new eruo design"
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1431:Tourist attractions in Shumen Province
1403:
1128:
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901:
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567:
449:the ruler set by god sent help to me
1220:
724:
216:carved on the Madara Plateau east of
105:501.7 ha (1.937 sq mi)
97:1.2 ha (130,000 sq ft)
480:of smaller Bulgarian coins (1 to 50
476:The Madara Rider is depicted on the
358:found a damaged inscription by Khan
170:Location of Madara Rider in Bulgaria
161:
16:Medieval rock-cut relief in Bulgaria
1441:Monuments and memorials in Bulgaria
524:List of colossal sculptures in situ
378:Three partially preserved texts in
263:
13:
1312:
1196:
675:
14:
1477:
1212:
362:which mentions the deity Tangra.
1416:Archaeological sites in Bulgaria
1411:World Heritage Sites in Bulgaria
1248:World Heritage Sites in Bulgaria
334:related it to the Iranian deity
160:
153:
1178:Byzantium and Bulgaria, 775-831
1076:
1055:
1040:. Info Bulgaria. Archived from
1030:
1027:. – Retrieved on 26 March 2009.
919:
718:
688:
373:
304:semi-nomadic equestrian warrior
352:
246:
1:
1289:Rock-hewn Churches of Ivanovo
1086:. EU Business. Archived from
529:
1446:Bulgarian Greek inscriptions
1065:. Sofia News Agency Novinite
7:
1160:. Brill. pp. 151–236.
725:Isaac, Benjamin H. (1986).
512:
484:) issued in 1999 and 2000.
10:
1482:
1456:History of Shumen Province
1304:Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari
27:UNESCO World Heritage Site
1324:
1310:
1299:Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak
1254:
1175:Sophoulis, Panos (2011).
1154:; Kovalev, Roman (eds.).
471:
202:
148:
109:
101:
93:
81:
71:
67:Cultural: (i), (iii)
61:
45:
33:
24:
1426:8th-century inscriptions
710:Nicoloff, Assen (1983).
695:Lurker, Manfred (1987).
445:he was raised tore and
289:Konstantin Josef Jireček
285:Paleo-Balkanic mythology
1294:Srebarna Nature Reserve
1111:Donchev, Slavi (1981).
926:Bulgarian National Bank
749:. Antos. Archived from
133:43.276694°N 27.119556°E
1466:8th-century sculptures
1461:7th-century sculptures
1436:Sculptures in Bulgaria
1340:Bosnia and Herzegovina
1318:
1129:Petkov, Kiril (2008).
503:South Shetland Islands
224:, near the village of
186:
1316:
184:
1090:on November 19, 2008
636:, p. 41, 45–46.
138:43.276694; 27.119556
1274:Pirin National Park
1120:. Vol. 23–24.
1114:The Madara Horseman
746:The Madara Horseman
519:Tourism in Bulgaria
241:World Heritage Site
129: /
21:
1319:
1269:Nesebar (Nessebar)
1023:2016-03-06 at the
1012:2016-03-04 at the
1001:2016-03-03 at the
990:2016-01-01 at the
979:2016-01-01 at the
968:2016-01-01 at the
957:2016-01-01 at the
946:2016-01-01 at the
935:2016-01-01 at the
880:, p. 205–206.
790:, p. 204–206.
712:Bulgarian Folklore
187:
19:
1398:
1397:
1124:. pp. 41–46.
676:Boteva, Dilyana.
499:Livingston Island
489:future euro coins
390:(802–814 AD) and
306:culture from the
281:Thracian horseman
179:
178:
1473:
1317:Flag of Bulgaria
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761:
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753:on 20 June 2006.
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332:Vladimir Toporov
264:Origin tradition
220:in northeastern
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1197:Further reading
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308:Eurasian Steppe
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207:Madarski konnik
203:Мадарски конник
195:Madara Horseman
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836:Sophoulis 2011
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729:. p. 257.
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465:itchurgu boila
454:Inscription IV
424:Inscription II
380:Medieval Greek
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354:
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349:(802–814 AD).
324:Iranian-Alanic
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258:Veliki Preslav
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714:. p. 50.
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672:
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650:
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398:Inscription I
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1421:Rock reliefs
1264:Madara Rider
1263:
1177:
1156:
1131:
1113:
1092:. Retrieved
1088:the original
1078:
1067:. Retrieved
1057:
1046:. Retrieved
1042:the original
1032:
921:
909:
904:, p. 6.
897:
885:
878:Fiedler 2008
873:
866:Fiedler 2008
851:Fiedler 2008
831:
819:
812:Fiedler 2008
807:
795:
788:Fiedler 2008
783:
776:Fiedler 2008
771:
764:Donchev 1981
759:
751:the original
745:
726:
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711:
705:
696:
690:
681:
661:Donchev 1981
656:
649:Donchev 1981
634:Donchev 1981
629:
601:Donchev 1981
596:
589:Fiedler 2008
570:, p. 5.
549:Donchev 1981
493:
486:
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459:
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444:
443:
438:
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429:
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423:
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417:Thessaloniki
403:
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374:Inscriptions
368:
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340:
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278:
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267:
250:
206:
194:
191:Madara Rider
190:
188:
124:27°07′10.4″E
121:43°16′36.1″N
20:Madara Rider
1388:Switzerland
985:50 stotinki
974:20 stotinki
963:10 stotinki
914:Petkov 2008
902:Petkov 2008
890:Petkov 2008
568:Petkov 2008
495:Madara Peak
461:Khan sybigi
353:Archaeology
247:Description
214:rock relief
136: /
111:Coordinates
82:Inscription
1405:Categories
1094:2008-07-01
1069:2008-07-01
1048:2008-06-30
1018:5 stotinki
1007:2 stotinki
996:1 stotinka
952:5 stotinki
941:2 stotinki
930:1 stotinka
530:References
507:Antarctica
85:1979 (3rd
1181:. Brill.
1135:. Brill.
405:Justinian
199:Bulgarian
72:Reference
1380:Slovenia
1376:Slovakia
1021:Archived
1010:Archived
999:Archived
994:; 2000:
988:Archived
977:Archived
966:Archived
955:Archived
944:Archived
933:Archived
513:See also
482:stotinki
432:Krumesis
330:, while
312:Sasanian
273:Thracian
222:Bulgaria
63:Criteria
56:Bulgaria
47:Location
1392:Ukraine
1372:Romania
1356:Germany
1344:Croatia
1336:Belgium
1332:Austria
1328:Albania
1105:Sources
682:Thracia
501:in the
478:obverse
447:Omurtag
392:Omurtag
360:Omurtag
300:Bulgars
87:Session
1368:Poland
1352:France
1185:
1164:
1139:
1122:ICOMOS
1016:&
472:Legacy
413:uncles
409:Tervel
384:Tervel
343:Tervel
336:Mithra
328:Tangra
320:Turkic
316:relief
254:Pliska
238:UNESCO
234:Tervel
230:Bulgar
226:Madara
218:Shumen
52:Shumen
1384:Spain
1360:Italy
1326:with
1118:(PDF)
467:gold
411:. My
314:rock
232:Khan
1390:and
1183:ISBN
1162:ISBN
1137:ISBN
388:Krum
347:Krum
322:and
302:, a
291:and
256:and
189:The
94:Area
497:on
415:at
193:or
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1386:,
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205:,
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197:(
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