The Ideology Of The Ninth And Tenth Centuries 69
the gods. Through his ability to communicate and to travel between worlds the
ruler ensured the well-being of his subjects. This was one of the main functions
of the khagan not only in Khazaria, but also in the other khaganates where his
powers were not so limited.
Self-hanging is a ritual death which gives the would-be ruler supernatural
power. This power is given by Divine grace alone. The times of disasters then
indicate that this power has left its chosen one and that he must be ritually
sent to God or the gods, since he has already accepted death on his initia-
tion. In this context, of particular interest is the haiduk song from the Preslav
region in Bulgaria, in which “the voivode Tatuncho welcomes new champions
in his band only after a test by self-hanging”. A. Kaloianov believes that “the
self-hanging fragment probably corresponds to a shamanic-style initiation of
young men into warriors”.224 Regardless of whether such a connection is pos-
sible or not, it is clear that the heroes are not mortal any more, i.e. they are no
longer of “this” world, having experienced their own ritual death. Could we
be seeing a Christianized version of the same custom in the memorial service
from 1903, held for the voivode Radon Todev from Bansko and his whole band
before a battle?225
According to R. Neikova, “the strangulation of the khan and the departure
by hanging are probably rooted in the cosmogonic notions of the three-part
vertical division and order of the world, as well as in the belief that the high-
situated and worthy people originated from and belonged to the celestial
world (seen as “a return to the homeland”/rebirth of khans, leaders, heroes
distinguished in battle and even enemies)”.226 She also notes the Bulgarian
belief that the celestial world was like the earthly one, with the only difference
being that the people there girded themselves around the neck.227
224 Kaloianov 2003, 96. A separate question is whether it can be postulated that a phenom-
enon, similar to Central Asian shamanism, existed among the Bulgars. For the opposite
view, see Neikova 2006. In this case the practice in question is not necessarily connected
to shamanism. Also noteworthy are the Bulgarian notions of rusalias, seen as other-
worldly creatures. “This also explains their unusual magical powers for healing and
bringing fertility and health” (Georgieva 1993, 161). The origins of this custom in Bulgaria
remain unclear. It could quite possibly be connected to a Thracian or Roman tradition.
225 See esp. the analysis of Cuisenier 2002, 82–93, as well as the Song for Radon Todev. In
the last verse of the song Radon Todev rises from the dead. He comes out of the grave,
takes his rebel cap, rifle and sabre and begins to roam the mountain alone, in search of
his uncle Blago. The song shows how the image of Radon Todev has merged with older
mythological motifs.
226 Neikova 2006, 149.
227 Neikova 2006, 149; see Marinov 2003, 65; Georgieva 1993, 18.