Balkan.
I have an early Algerean flissa that is very much yataghan-like, but the differences are obvious.
Balkan karakulaks are massive and kind of crude, while Algerean are more elegant and carry elements that later on migrated to full-fledged flissas: doghead pommel of the handle, deeply carved blade decorations and very pointy and sharp tip..
I tend to believe that both stemmed from a classical Ottoman yataghan, but the interpretations were very different.
Top: Balkan ( likely Bulgarian) Karakulak, with Cyrillic initials and date “1838”
Bottom: early Algerian flissa.
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