Flyssa with yataghan-like blade

Jim McDougall · 26th August 2013, 07:47 PM

Absolutely amazing Emanuel!!! This one is truly unusual, but not entirely surprising in the remarkable scope of these mysterious Berber swords.
We have been discussing the flyssa for how many years now? It seems at least about 12 years, and you have tenaciously and faithfully progesssed our awareness of them all along.

It seems that like with many ethnographic edged weapons, years of broadly assumed developmental theory and often regional classification has proven to be highly questionable and wrought with dispute. I think we are still as far from conclusive agreement on the origins of the flyssa, and it becomes even more clouded with the range of variations that have been revealed over years.

I think personally still that the basic form, with deep belly, indeed likely was influenced by early yataghans with more of a straight back rather than the standard recurve.
With the profound presence of Circassians in the Ottoman sphere in North Africa, I have always been curious on the distinctive needle point on the flyssa, which recalls many forms of sabre blade on Tatar examples ( the ordynka for one). By the same token, curved blades of course could have influence of wider scope.

As we discussed years ago, I believe the flyssa itself was a regionally developed form from other types of sword but produced locally in a rather iconic sense. As I understood, the young mans sword and its acquisition was a sort of 'rite of passage'. It would seem that as many of these were produced in a 'custom' manner for individuals, there may have been variations accordingly toward personal specifications. It seems I was once told as well that the yataghan itself was highly favored and aspired to by young Kabyle men, despite the clear resistance to Ottoman suzerainty.

Do you think these unusual variations may be examples of such personal tastes, or possibly reflecting either regional or period influences of other contemporary forms of weapon?

These circumstances notwithstanding, it would seem any sort of progressive development of the flyssa form itself remains as elusive as ever

All the best,
Jim

26th August 2013, 07:47 PM	#6
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,198	Absolutely amazing Emanuel!!! This one is truly unusual, but not entirely surprising in the remarkable scope of these mysterious Berber swords. We have been discussing the flyssa for how many years now? It seems at least about 12 years, and you have tenaciously and faithfully progesssed our awareness of them all along. It seems that like with many ethnographic edged weapons, years of broadly assumed developmental theory and often regional classification has proven to be highly questionable and wrought with dispute. I think we are still as far from conclusive agreement on the origins of the flyssa, and it becomes even more clouded with the range of variations that have been revealed over years. I think personally still that the basic form, with deep belly, indeed likely was influenced by early yataghans with more of a straight back rather than the standard recurve. With the profound presence of Circassians in the Ottoman sphere in North Africa, I have always been curious on the distinctive needle point on the flyssa, which recalls many forms of sabre blade on Tatar examples ( the ordynka for one). By the same token, curved blades of course could have influence of wider scope. As we discussed years ago, I believe the flyssa itself was a regionally developed form from other types of sword but produced locally in a rather iconic sense. As I understood, the young mans sword and its acquisition was a sort of 'rite of passage'. It would seem that as many of these were produced in a 'custom' manner for individuals, there may have been variations accordingly toward personal specifications. It seems I was once told as well that the yataghan itself was highly favored and aspired to by young Kabyle men, despite the clear resistance to Ottoman suzerainty. Do you think these unusual variations may be examples of such personal tastes, or possibly reflecting either regional or period influences of other contemporary forms of weapon? These circumstances notwithstanding, it would seem any sort of progressive development of the flyssa form itself remains as elusive as ever All the best, Jim