Obouzgan

This gold dish used in religious rites is the same dish in the previous picture and was made by Bulgars in the early 9th century AD. It is fashioned to have the likeness of a shegor or bull because it is either an Ongun or a representation of Obouzgan, the sacred heavenly bull of Tangra. The Ongunar (plural of ongun) are venerated animal spirits taught to the Bulgars through songs and stories which in many cases showed the people not only simple amusement, but also told them about the natural order of life and spirituality. In this case, the dish's function was probably to serve as a bridge between the world of the spirits and the world of the Bulgars (since Obouzgan was the messenger of Tangra, The God of the Bulgars).