Flyssa (Flissa) Sword
Flyssa (Flissa) Sword
Iflissen Lebhar Tribal Confederacy
Kabylia, Regency of Algiers, Ottoman Algeria (Algeria)
Mid-19th century (ca. 1830 - 1850)
Steel, wood, brass
Blade: 84,4cm
Hilt & Blade: 96,2cm
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: -cm
Collection Date: 2025
Collection Number: 473
Ex. American Art Market: Duluth, Georgia (2025)
The flissa is the traditional weapon of the Iflissen Kabyles, an ethnic Berber group originating from the Atlas Mountain Range in Northern Algeria. Their weapons range from small knives to very long swords, most of which are very consistent in design using brass inlays and geometric motifs.
This example is the sword version having good age. Its quality can be seen in the crisp details and fine workmanship. The straight single- edged steel blade is elongated with a slight outward curve, then recurving into an acute sharp point. Traditional triangular geometric brass inlays, fanciful linear work, and motifs are inlaid within a long panel for the first 3/4 of the blade. The last 1/4 length of blade has a false edge.
Wooden hilt in the form of a zoomorphic pommel animal head. The hilt is covered in brass sheet in finely worked repoussé scrollwork and linear designs. The steel bolster and spine are also eloquently adorned in brass scrollwork and zig-zag patterns (snake). One of the nicer flyssa swords with very- well executed crafsmanship, crisp in detail, and having good age to this example.
Photograph 15: Mannequin of a Kabyle warrior in full kit. Ca. 1830.
Photograph 16: Kabyle Warrior with Musket and Flyssa, 1842 -1846. By Jules Alfred Vincent Rigo.
Photograph 17: Kabyle Warrior with Musket and Flyssa. 19th century.
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[2] Hales, Robert. 2013. "Islamic and Oriental Arms and Armour". Page 240: No. 592
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[4] Spring, Christopher. 1993. “African Arms and Armor”. Pages 21-24
[5] Tirri, Anthony C. 2003. “Islamic Weapons Maghrib to Moghul”. Page 25. Figure 8
[6] Tirri, Anthony C. 2007. “Islamic and Native Weapons of Colonial Africa 1800 - 1960”.
[7] https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/31190
[8] https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/31188
[9] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af-1626-a
[10] https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/E_Af-1626-b
[13] https://oriental-arms.com/product/long-and-heavy-flyssa-sword/
[14] https://oriental-arms.com/product/very-long-and-heavy-flyssa-sword/
[15] http://oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=62
[16] http://oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=6793
[17] http://oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=5868
[18] http://oriental-arms.co.il/item.php?id=1292
[19] https://african-weapons.com/gallery?8-flyssa-mit-scheide-u