The Flyssa

[Gonzalo G]

Jim, please empty your mail box. I couldn´t send you a message.
Regards

Gonzalo

[Gavin Nugent]

Nice brain storming guys.

Here is a blog from the Pitt Rivers Museum.


The flissa or flyssa is the distinctive weapon of the Kabyle Berber people of Algeria. Since they vary in length they are sometimes classed as swords, sometimes as knives. Unlike many North African swords which are fitted with European blades, the flissa blade is without exception of local manufacture.

Such weapons were used to break open chain mail, which was still worn in this part of the world until the 19th century. The blade is single-edged for cutting but also has a tapering point for stabbing. This typical example has an octagonal grip, animal head pommel and decoratively incised blade.

Sacred Weapons
The unusual concave section along the flissa’s cutting edge has drawn much attention from art historians. Some have argued that this shape shows the particular ancestry of the flissa, which they believe copies the shape of concave-bladed Ancient Greek swords called machaira, such as those used by the armies of Alexander the Great. It doesn’t seem impossible that this form of sword could have been brought to Algeria by the Carthaginians, who were themselves of Phoenician origin. In saying this, it should also be noted that the flissa hilt is similar to that of Arabian-Persian-Indian shamshir swords so it is not beyond doubt that it had it’s origins further east.

As well as the blade shape, the species of animal depicted on the flissa hilts has also created much academic speculation. Some scholars have argued that the species of the animal is unimportant; what is important is that their eyes are always exaggerated in size. Both the animal-headed pommel and the brass-inlaid geometric decoration on the hilt and blade, have magical power. All of the decoration on the sword serves to protect the wielder against the Evil Eye.

The Evil Eye is a major concern for Berber and Islamic North Africans alike. It is believed that the first jealous glance of another person, cast on someone or their possessions, is dangerous to them and will bring them misfortune. Such decoration is applied to many manufactured objects in the region. The general idea behind such decoration is to depict something repulsive, pointed, or an eye or hand, with which one can repel, pierce or deflect the Evil Eye. For example, the individual triangular motifs on the back of this sword’s blade represent clothes pins (fibulae), which are understood to pierce the Evil Eye, while the zigzag line motifs represent a snake, which then drives it away. The glare from one eye is believed to repel that of another so the animal-headed pommel has been cast here with large eyes.

[KuKulzA28]

I don't know too much about the Islamic and African world, though I wish I did. However, on the topic of Celts... they were all over Europe in various forms and sub-cultures... the Celitberian and Celtic-influence Lusitani in Iberia, the Caledonians, Iceni, Casse, Cautevellani, and Goidils in The British Isles and Ireland, the Gallic folk in France, the Belgae around the Rhine area... the countless Alpine tribes (not counting independent cultures like the Rhaetians), the Cisalpine Gauls, the eastern Boii, Scordisci, and Lugii, and the Galatians in Greece, Turkey, and Egypt.

The Celts outside of main Europe were there often due to migration and mercenary service. The Anatolian Galatians in Ankyra conquered a chunk of land and then often lent their services as mercenaries to the Greeks and Pontics. The Egyptian Celts were imported there to be mercenaries, given land and slaves and enticed to settle along the Nile, in return for military service. The Carthaginians used Celts as mercenaries as well... and while their favored troops were Iberians, Numidians, and Libyans... they probably had Celts in Carthage...

So the Celts have spread all over the place, and while I'm not educated enough to speak on the Flyssa authoritatively, I know that the Celtic influence is possible geographically... but time-wise... it is not so clear

[Gonzalo G]

!Wow! !It´s amazing what do so many people belive!

[Emanuel]

Here I come back after a year of hiatus and what do I see, the F word right on cue.

Hi Jim, Gonzalo, all, nice to see the flyssa still racking brains and prodding the imagination. Good discussion!
I've always had the impression that the flyssa pommel looks like a camel head wouldn't be far off in the area.

About the archaeological record, I've been spending a good bit of time reading through every French archaeological review on Algeria, and I found nothing about old Kabyle material culture. What I've seen so far focuses almost exclusively on the Classical period and Roman ruins. Will keep looking in time...

All the best,
Emanuel

[katana]

Hi Emanuel,
welcome back .......that picture....you look different.....have you had a hair cut ?

Kind Regards David

[Emanuel]

Thanks David, it's a killer with the ladies

[Jim McDougall]

Hi Emanuel, and really glad to see you back!!! I thought the UFO's got ya!!

As you can see we are indeed still at it, and pretty sure they'll have crop circles, the pyramids, sasquatch etc. all figured out before we get anywhere near a consensus on the flyssa.

Good point on the camel, and that lovely photo pretty much cinches it, that has got to be what that pommel is.

Welcome back Emanuel!

All the best,
Jim

P.S. David...take your pill!

[Gonzalo G]

Originally Posted by katana

Hi Emanuel,
welcome back .......that picture....you look different.....have you had a hair cut ?

Kind Regards David

Hahahaha...and that deep sockets on the eyes...that´s the look of Emanuel when he finshes his sariat on the desert. Well, Emanuel, I feel more sympathy for your explanation than for the idea that, because the hilt suposedly reminds the indian-persian-arab shamshir´s, it is a weapon coming from far east, and at the same time, form the greek machaira. Seems a very very plausible hypothesis. I like it. We can call it "a cameliform hilt".

Gonzalo