From: e.karloukovski@uea.ac.uk (Vassil Karloukovski)
Subject: Re: Caucasoid Turks/Bulgars
Date: 05 Mar 1999 00:00:00 GMT
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In article <79n24d$58g@cpca3.uea.ac.uk>, e.karloukovski@uea.ac.uk (Vassil Karloukovski) wrote:

...
 If we are to cite again M. Lang, he also 
> refers to one western researcher (sorry, don't have the book at hand) 
> according to whom the architecture of these pagan sanctuaries in Pliska,
> etc. was reminiscent of that of the Kushan works. 


Now that I got hold on Lang's book, here are his words:
 " [The palace complex at Pliska] also included two rectangular, almost
  square chambers, which are built concentrically. Here are clearly the
  remains of a imperial sanctuary or pagan temple, such as are also found
  at Madara and Preslav. Precisely which pagan god were worshipped here 
  is not known, though Professor B. Brentjes may well be right in saying 
  that we must look for the prototype in Central Asia, notably in the 
  Parthyan-Kushan region. Whether the cult practised here was that of the
  supreme god of the early Turkic peoples, Tengri or Tangra, creator of
  the world, or alternatively that of Buddhism, as Brentjes suggests
  [Brentjes, B. On the proto-type of the proto-bulgarian temples at Pliska,
   Preslav and Madara, in East and West (Rome), New series, vol. 21, 3-4,
   1971, pp.213-216.] remains debatable."
              (D.M. Lang, op.cit., p. 122)
 
And about the Madara Horseman:
 " This relief depicts an equestarian Great Khan of the Bulgar; he holds the
  reins in his right hand and a wine cup in his left. The horse is trampling
  on a lion, while behind it there runs an agile grey hound. The height if
  the relief ... is almost 3 metres; the carving is more than 25 metres above
  the ground level...
   The obvious parallels are the reliefs of the palace at Persepolis and on 
  the near-by cliffs of Naqsh-i-Rustam, in Iran. ... The Parthian bas-relief
  at Tang-i-Sarwak also springs to mind. Further interesting comparisons may
  be drown with the three Central Asian Buddhist paintings, more or less
  contemporary with the Madara Horseman, showing a rider king with a cup in
  hand. ..."
              (D.M. Lang, op.cit., p. 123)

More information about the Madara horseman is available at
   http://www.eunet.bg/books/cultural_heritage/madara/madara-intro.html 

There is also a better picture of it at 
   http://www.worldmonuments.org/madarah.html

Regards,
Vassil K.