Kabyle miquelet
Encyclopedia
The Kabyle
Musket or moukalla (moukhala) (Elgood: 1995 page 69) was a type of musket
widely used in North Africa, produced by many native tribes and nations. Two systems of gunlock prevailed in Kabyle guns, one, which derived from Dutch and English types of snaphance
lock, usually with a thicker lockplate. Half cock was provided by a dog catch behind the cock. At full cock, the sear passing through the lockplate engaged the heel of the cock. The other mechanism was the so-called Arab toe-lock, a form of miquelet
lock, closely allied to the agujeta lock (which required a back or dog catch for half cock) and the Italian romanlock. The term miquelet is used today to described a particular type of Snaplock
. The miquelet lock, in all varieties, was common for several centuries in the countries surrounding the Mediterranean, particularly in Spain, Italy, the Balkans
, and the Ottoman Empire
domains including the coastal states of North Africa. The type of musket would be described as a Kabyle snaphance or a Kabyle miquelet. (Blair: 1982 pages 281,289)
The caliber of musket ball fired was large, usually in the .67 range. These guns were very very long, around 6 feet. The plain barrel alone is 44 to 52 inches in length . The barrel was retained in the stock by about twelve iron, brass, or silver bands (capucines). When silver was used, it was often done in the niello
form. These muskets may have all metal work engraved and locks may be covered in sheet silver. The stock and trumpet-shaped butt is typically enhanced by engraved silver shapes inlaid with coral or ivory. Even the exposed parts of the wooden ramrod is encased with silver. (Blair: 1982 page 289)
in northern Algeria, western Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia.
Kabyle
Kabyle may refer to:* Kabyle people, an ethnic group in Algeria* Kabyle language* Kabyle alphabet, also known as Berber Latin alphabet* the Kabyle ethnic homeland, a region called Kabylie in French...
Musket or moukalla (moukhala) (Elgood: 1995 page 69) was a type of musket
Musket
A musket is a muzzle-loaded, smooth bore long gun, fired from the shoulder. Muskets were designed for use by infantry. A soldier armed with a musket had the designation musketman or musketeer....
widely used in North Africa, produced by many native tribes and nations. Two systems of gunlock prevailed in Kabyle guns, one, which derived from Dutch and English types of snaphance
Snaphance
A Snaphance or Snaphaunce is a particular type of mechanism for firing a gun . The name is Dutch in origin but the mechanism can not be attributed to the Netherlands with certainty. It is the mechanical progression of the wheel-lock firing mechanism and the predecessor of the flintlock firing...
lock, usually with a thicker lockplate. Half cock was provided by a dog catch behind the cock. At full cock, the sear passing through the lockplate engaged the heel of the cock. The other mechanism was the so-called Arab toe-lock, a form of miquelet
Miquelet
Miquelet Lock is a modern collector/auctioneer/curator term, largely used by and for the benefit of the English speaking world, widely applied to a distinctive form of snaplock, originally as a flint-against-steel ignition form, prevalent in the Iberian, Italian, and Balkan peninsulas, North...
lock, closely allied to the agujeta lock (which required a back or dog catch for half cock) and the Italian romanlock. The term miquelet is used today to described a particular type of Snaplock
Snaplock
A Snaplock is a particular type of mechanism for firing a gun .A snaplock ignites the weapon's propellant by means of sparks produced when a spring-powered cock strikes a flint down on to a piece of hardened steel...
. The miquelet lock, in all varieties, was common for several centuries in the countries surrounding the Mediterranean, particularly in Spain, Italy, the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
, and the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
domains including the coastal states of North Africa. The type of musket would be described as a Kabyle snaphance or a Kabyle miquelet. (Blair: 1982 pages 281,289)
The caliber of musket ball fired was large, usually in the .67 range. These guns were very very long, around 6 feet. The plain barrel alone is 44 to 52 inches in length . The barrel was retained in the stock by about twelve iron, brass, or silver bands (capucines). When silver was used, it was often done in the niello
Niello
Niello is a black mixture of copper, silver, and lead sulphides, used as an inlay on engraved or etched metal. It can be used for filling in designs cut from metal...
form. These muskets may have all metal work engraved and locks may be covered in sheet silver. The stock and trumpet-shaped butt is typically enhanced by engraved silver shapes inlaid with coral or ivory. Even the exposed parts of the wooden ramrod is encased with silver. (Blair: 1982 page 289)
Origin
Most of these muskets were produced in Kabylia, an area inhabited by the Kabyle tribes, a Berber tribe spread across the area known as the MaghrebMaghreb
The Maghreb is the region of Northwest Africa, west of Egypt. It includes five countries: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Mauritania and the disputed territory of Western Sahara...
in northern Algeria, western Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia.