Originally Posted by fennec
just some more details..
In algerian cutlery, a different style, dont mean that the craftsman dont know the previous skill, or is going original. I mean, as for curves "flissa" daggers for exemple, the case of the decorations/inlays is interesting. You will NEVER, or very rarely, find the "classic decorativ scheme" of a flissa (succession of brass inlayed/carved triangles, with an upper and under brass inlayed line, with classic engravings on the brass, etc etc... ).
The decorative scheme, follow a kind of weapon, and this is something I've noticed in 90% of the flissas words ive studies. For exemple (have to make a post about that..) I classify flissa sabers in two parts. the long classic ones, and the "short" ones, I call "boarding flissa" (for many reasons, their possible use, area, period, shape, etc). I think some of you here see what I mean... So, for those ones, you can notice that the decorative scheme is actually always different, than the classic triangles... generally more floral shapes.
So, to come back to those curved flissa daggers, we have the same cases here. Thoses particular models, are the only ones from the algerian cutlery, that display that brass OVERLAY, or thin soldering, exactly in the ottoman form for the yatagans. This is clearly another skill AIT YENI took to jewelry, but this also give to those swords another kind of use/purpose, than the classics common ones. You can notice on this one I show you here, another typical skill from kabyle jewelry of AIT YENI, is the colored enamel, also unique in algeria (and probably africa).
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