Kabyle Flyssa (Flissa) Sword
Flyssa (Flissa) Sword
Iflissen Lebhar Tribal Confederacy
Kabylia, French Algeria (Algeria)
Mid-19th century (ca. 1830 - 1850)
Steel, wood, brass
Blade: 84,5cm
Hilt & Blade: 96,3cm
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: -cm
Collection Date: 2023
Collection Number: 359
The flissa is the traditional weapon of the Kabyles, a Berber ethnic group originating from the Atlas Mountain Range in Northern Algeria. Their weapons range from small knives to very long swords, most of which are very similar in consistent design using brass inlays.
This example is the sword version with good age. The blade is straight single-edged steel tapering to a long point. Traditional brass inlays and motifs are inlaid for the first three-quarters of the blade, as well as the spine. The handle is carved from wood in the form of an animal head (camel, dog, bird) covered in brass with geometric designs, some of which are now lost. Steel bolster with inlaid brass. The tip of the blade is slightly bent, and it is missing its wooden sheath as is common.
Claude, Eric. 2020. “The Small Catalog of Moroccan and Algerian Edged Weapons”. Pages 164 – 167
Hales, Robert. 2013. "Islamic and Oriental Arms and Armour". Page 240: No. 593
Pinchot, Oliver S. 2014. “Arms of the Paladins”. Page 81; Cat. 4-56
Spring, Christopher. 1993. “African Arms and Armor”. Pages 21-24
Tirri, Anthony C. 2003. “Islamic Weapons Maghrib to Moghul”. Page 25, Figure 8
Tirri, Anthony C. 2007. “Islamic and Native Weapons of Colonial Africa 1800 - 1960”. Page 620, Figure 11-33
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