Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - Flyssa

Jim McDougall · 14th August 2007, 05:17 AM

Hi Emanuel,
Thank you so much for responding!!! It is great that you take such interest in research and discussion on these, and you have shown a great deal of perspective and compelling observations. I do recall your comments in discussions noting that Ottomans never took power in Kabylia, but it seems that such powerful influence would eventually infuse into the culture as has been noted. It seems that locally produced interpretations of the weapons of the Ottomans would in many cases not reach the status of the original examples, in using an extreme analogy for example, comparing a Corvette to a Ferrari (please guys, while there are certain basic elements that may suggest similarity....there is a key separation...$$$, and I love Corvettes anyway!!!...cant even afford one of those though).
The only puzzle here with the favor of the Ottoman yataghan over the flyssa would be, if the talismanic and symbolically charged decoration of the locally produced flyssa was so important, then why would the weapons of thier 'enemy' without such key symbolism be so sought after?

I too have considered the zoomorphic mystery of what in the world creature must be represented on the pommel of the flyssa, and as you have noted, the camel seems plausible. But then again, why camels when these do not seem likely in such mountainous regions? The flyssa is suggested to be a cavalry weapon, but how could cavalry be effective in mountainous areas of the Atlas which was home to the Iflissen. In previous efforts to discuss the actual manner of use for the flyssa, no translated narratives have ever appeared with descriptions revealing such information. If it was indeed used as seems most likely, for the thrust, why no guard to prevent slipping of the hand. If it was a slashing weapon, it seems awkward and ill balanced, at least in my own martially limited opinion.

If these questions have been specifically addressed by anyone over many years of discussions, I apologize for not having found such comments in the archives and would be grateful for correction.

Emanuel I really appreciate your willingness to discuss the flyssa further, and these comparisons of information available and answers to these many puzzling questions, we sort of all have to be devils advocates

Lets keep looking!!

All the best,
Jim

14th August 2007, 05:17 AM	#27
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,738	Hi Emanuel, Thank you so much for responding!!! It is great that you take such interest in research and discussion on these, and you have shown a great deal of perspective and compelling observations. I do recall your comments in discussions noting that Ottomans never took power in Kabylia, but it seems that such powerful influence would eventually infuse into the culture as has been noted. It seems that locally produced interpretations of the weapons of the Ottomans would in many cases not reach the status of the original examples, in using an extreme analogy for example, comparing a Corvette to a Ferrari (please guys, while there are certain basic elements that may suggest similarity....there is a key separation...$$$, and I love Corvettes anyway!!!...cant even afford one of those though). The only puzzle here with the favor of the Ottoman yataghan over the flyssa would be, if the talismanic and symbolically charged decoration of the locally produced flyssa was so important, then why would the weapons of thier 'enemy' without such key symbolism be so sought after? I too have considered the zoomorphic mystery of what in the world creature must be represented on the pommel of the flyssa, and as you have noted, the camel seems plausible. But then again, why camels when these do not seem likely in such mountainous regions? The flyssa is suggested to be a cavalry weapon, but how could cavalry be effective in mountainous areas of the Atlas which was home to the Iflissen. In previous efforts to discuss the actual manner of use for the flyssa, no translated narratives have ever appeared with descriptions revealing such information. If it was indeed used as seems most likely, for the thrust, why no guard to prevent slipping of the hand. If it was a slashing weapon, it seems awkward and ill balanced, at least in my own martially limited opinion. If these questions have been specifically addressed by anyone over many years of discussions, I apologize for not having found such comments in the archives and would be grateful for correction. Emanuel I really appreciate your willingness to discuss the flyssa further, and these comparisons of information available and answers to these many puzzling questions, we sort of all have to be devils advocates Lets keep looking!! All the best, Jim