A Kabyle Flyssa (Flissa) Sword with Silver Sheath
Iflissen Lebhar Tribal Confederacy
Algiers - Kabylia, French Algeria (Algeria)
Mid- 19th century (ca. 1830 - 1870)
Iron, wood, brass, metal alloy
Blade: 63,5cm
Hilt & Blade: 75,6cm
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: 78,7cm
Collection Date: 2024
Collection Number: 382

The flissa is the traditional weapon of the Iflissen Kabyles, an ethnic Berber 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 consistent in design using brass inlays and geometric motifs.

This example is the sword version with a silver sheath present rather than the traditional carved wood. Its quality can be seen in the crisp details and fine workmanship. The decoration is influenced by Ottoman Balkan styling seen on yataghans and bichaq during the time of Ottoman occupation. The style remained thereafter and can be seen on items from the Algiers region still showing Ottoman influences.

The straight single- edged steel blade is elongated with a slight outward curve, then recurving into an acute sharp point with an upward tip. Traditional fanciful brass scrolls are inlaid on 3/4 length of the blade. The spine also has inlaid brass scrolls for 3/4 length, with the last 1/4 having a false edge.

The handle is undecorated, carved from wood in the form of an animal head (camel, dog, bird, chimara) attached to a short iron bolster. The sheath is wood covered in a silver alloy sheet highly decorated in scrollwork, geometric, and linear repoussé. Two small baldric rings are attached. A quality flyssa sword with well executed crafsmanship, crisp scrolls in detail, complete with a highly ornate silver sheath showing Ottoman influences.

• Claude, Eric. 2020. “The Small Catalog of Moroccan and Algerian Edged Weapons”. Pages 146 – 173

• Spring, Christopher. 1993. “African Arms and Armor”. Pages 21-24

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