Description: The name kamenche though is Persian in origin. The meaning of the name Kamenche comes from two words ~ "keman" long bow and "che" which mans "small". A loose translation would be "little instrument played with bow". The kamenche is a bottle-shaped chordophone and is bowed. Has three strings is found through out some areas of Greece, Turkey, neighboring areas on the black sea coast. This type of kamenche is played among the Greeks, in the Pontic region sometimes is called a "Pontic Lyra". The music which the instrument is played is more "folkloric" and regional. Also is accompanied by a large double sided drum called a Davul. SImilar and related instruments are found the Cretian lyra, the Bulgarian Gadulka and the Pochette or "pocket fiddle of France". In the classical musc of Turkey this instrument's body is wider to the instrument discussed here. Like many bowed instruments this type of kamenche is fretless.

Playing: In Turkey, and Greece the pontic lyra, during play two of the strings are bowed the same time the third is used as a sympathetic string. The kamenche is played by the instrument resting on the knee when bowed while sitting down. The fingers are pressing the strings like with the violin during performance.

Construction: The instrument is often hand carved though with nowadays modern day tools one would find in a home workshop. These instruments are constructed from mostly wood including the tuning pegs. The pegs are hand carved and have a slit into which each string fits through, then the instrument is tuned to the desired tuning. Usually the instrument is constructed plane style but many ornamental styles exist this is usually chosen by the makers them selves. The bridge which is also movable, and a string holder or "Korccu" in Turkish is made from rose wood, butterfly wood, sometimes ebony. There is a finger-board which is quite narrow. Also has a soundboard which coveres the body. The handle or neck is sometimes reffered to as a Kravat. There are often two sound holes one on each side of the sound board.

Citations: About the Kamenche ~ http://www.karalahana.com/english/kemence.htm; The history of the Turkish violin ~ http://www.zeryab.org/zeryab/archive/index.php/t-9278.html;