I have been noticing more and more oddities in the hidden images of banknotes lately. Some of them I will never know exactly what they are, and some are just strange. Others I have an idea of what it is but I can’t tell exactly if it is one or the other. Like this reverse of the Bulgarian 100 Leva from 1993 On the back is a depiction of a seasonal calendar with what appears to be solstice and other key times of the year outside of the seasons.


Link to banknote


At the bottom of this circular depiction is a hidden image that upon closer examination is of a figure hidden within the many lines that make up the under-print of the circle. It is something that looked to me at first like the popular image of either Death and his scythe or of a man with a scythe. However, not knowing too awfully much about agriculture tools, I am uncertain. I was always of the opinion that a harvesting scythe was one that had a second handle that would allow for a fulcrum – like movement while cutting. The scythe of Death was one I thought that had a single long rod. This depiction has a single long rod, but the figure itself is one that looks humanoid, but not quite man or the cowled figure of Death personified.





Below is the figure I had quickly cut out of the above image.





Well, what do you think? I could use some opinions on this to help me figure out for sure which it is supposed to be. Is it a thin-armed harvester of wheat or the boney skeleton of Death? I am leaning towards the farmer right now.

The image is a copy of the mural "Wheel of Life" from the walls of the Preobrazhenski Monastery (the Monastery of the Transfiguration), by Zahari Zograf (whose portrait is on the obverse of the note).
The inner circle is the months of the calendar, with January starting at about 4:00 on the wheel. The middle circle is the corresponding seasons, and the outer circle are the phases of life, starting with a 4 year old child progressing through the ages of 19, 21, 38, 55, 70, and finally death.

And with the scythe of the Grim Reaper at the neck of both the dying man and the 'Old Man Winter'! !!! Awesome imagery there I must say.

Thank you Kuhli for your wonderful explanation. I'd say that put's an end to that one.



Edit - Added photo of te original. It seems the grim reaper is a little more prominent in this depiction.