Joe, these observations on the possible meanings in the marking motif on the blade of your nimcha are most interesting. While my earlier comments on these kinds of markings were somewhat pragmatic, the deeper meanings in Berber symbolism are indeed perhaps in degree sometimes incorporated into decorative motif on weaponry.
With regard to the 'flyssa', the sword associated with the Kabyle tribes of Berbers in Algeria, the decorative motif on these is a combination of early Byzantine artistic character along with talismanic symbols which indeed have protective purpose against the 'evil eye'. This is a common feature on the weaponry of tribal peoples' folk religion, often in the form of the 'aghrab', a symbolic device seen on Arabian swords.....and in the case of the triangular device in linear design on the flyssa, known as the 'fibula'.
These kinds of symbols and designs are as noted, often found on the edged weaponry of North Africa, which includes of course, a predominantly Berber population.
It is important to note that the Berber designation refers to an ethnic group of many tribal confederations and nations across coastal North Africa typically collectively regarded as 'Imazighen'. The term 'Berber' referring to Barbary, was not generally used until 19th c.
The Berber people are comprised of many tribal confederations, and while largely Muslim, still maintain their own folk religions, dialectic languages and of course symbolisms.
In the "Encyclopedia of Arms and Weapons" (Tarussuk & Blair, 1986) in discussion on the 'flyssa', if I recall (the book is not handy at the moment), the authors suggest that much of the symbolism used in the motif of the swords occurs also on the textiles of the Kabyle people.
This would suggest that the symbolism and devices used on Berber weapons in decorative motif may well be found in the larger scope of Berber material culture including textiles, rugs.
Many elements of motif, as previously noted, come from various influences, such as the markings found on European trade blades, such as the 'Genoan' sickle marks, cross and orb and various cosmological devices, moon, stars, sun......though I am not specifying these to only Berber motif. There were likely Ottoman influences, with the curious designs of the 'toughra' perhaps copied in degree.
With the nimcha examples I showed in my post #13, the arc and star at the forte resembles that emblem used to signify 'the Rif' regions of Morocco.
In example #16, the three crosses on the blade of this nimcha appear to have been notably used by the Jabala confederacy of Berbers in Morocco, also in the Rif. These crosses were associated I believe with Raisuli (1871-1925), the noted Sharif of the tribes in the Rif .
Returning to the blade on the example of the OP, these triple fuller blades are well known on nimcha throughout the Barbary regions (from Morocco to Algeria, Tunis and Tripoli) and are imports, mostly perceived as German.
The attached are:
A Moroccan tribesman wearing a s'boula dagger along with photos of one of these, illustrating motif.
Next is a cut down example of one of these triple fuller blades having the crosses and a moon added. Note that these moons in paired form are common on Tuareg blades and Hausa from N. Nigeria through Saharan regions well into Algeria and Sudan. The crosses are well known on the koummya daggers known primarily in Morocco and Algeria.
The map shows the west, northwest regions of Morocco and the Rif, of the Jebala Berbers and tribal groups among them.
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