Hi pallas,
this link
http://forums.swordforum.com/showthr...an#post1043234
might contain some little info on the bulgars. Apparently during the period in question there was a lot of exchange betwen the various steepe cultures. IIRC , Russ Mitchell (also from SFi) mentioned in one of his posts something along the lines of Bulgars being obliged (by the Byzantine emperor) to adapt swords with "western cross" that would remind them of the servitude/loyalty to the Eastern-Byzantines (as opposed to the somewhat more curved "Turkic" or even Magyar crossguard).
Cheers,
Samuel