Sculpture

Decorative sculpture developed alongside architecture and stonemasonry. Its development in Bulgaria began centuries later than in western Europe. Nevertheless, it clearly took place and provides interesting examples of sculptural art. Sculptures from this period were not directly attached to the buildings and mainly depicted real or fantastic animals. Examples have been found at Pliska, Preslav, near the River Ticha and elsewhere. Lion statues were particularly widespread and have been found in these locations. A statue from the Preslav area depicts a seated lion with distinctive proportions characteristic of eastern traditions in Bulgarian art: an enlarged head and a cylindrical body. It also bore decorative elements. Two other lions are mentioned in the Chatalar inscription, which places them in the palace area of the fortress near the River Ticha. They are thought to have stood on columns. Another outstanding example of sculpture is the Madara Rider, the most remarkable sculptural monument of its era. The relief is considered part of the art of the First Bulgarian Empire because its details display cultural features absent in antiquity. These include the depicted saddle and stirrups, which did not appear in the Balkan Peninsula before the sixth century and were characteristic of eastern peoples. The rider's clothing also differs from Greek or Thracian dress.