Musical Instrument Kamancha

The four-string musical instruments performed with kaman have been played since ancient times in Azerbaijan. Historically, there were many master craftsmen whose abilities allowed this instrument to survive and be passed down from generation to generation. Today, the tradition continues at an elevated standard, and the kamancha tradition is kept alive, taught, and promoted.

Stringed bowed musical instrument kamancha has three strings. This instrument, characterized with a charming, tender and melodic sounding, has been improved throughout centuries and survived till our times.

Kamancha craftsmanship and performance art are popular in several regions of Azerbaijan, especially in Baku, Nakhchivan, Ganja, Sheki, Guba, Gabala, Karabakh, Aghdam and Lankaran.


Today the kamancha is often decorated with bone and mother-of-pearl. The stretcher placed obliquely on it helps to make the wires sound correctly and smoothly. Masters use metal wires. Its total length is 700 mm, the height of the bowl is 175 mm, and its width is 195 mm.

Earliest examples are pumpkin-shaped, decorated with elephant or rhinoceros ivory; the one and two-string kamancha is thought to be derived from gopuz.

The German traveller Engelbert Kaempfer, who travelled to Azerbaijan in the 17th century, noted that the kamancha is a three and sometimes four-string instrument, with a very beautiful sound.

Craftsmen make the kamancha from the mulberry or walnut tree. The bowl is rounded, with a fretless arm, with a membrane made of fish skin or livestock liver. A pivot is affixed to the lower end of the arm. This pivot passes through the whole body and extends beyond as a foot to serve as the base of the instrument.

In modern times, the masters who are famous for performing, teaching, researching and promoting the kamancha musical instrument in the Republic of Azerbaijan, and interested in resolving any of its obstacles, are the hundreds of professional performers who have chosen this kind of performing art as their profession kamancha masters with secondary and higher education. Artists from this category and individual kamancha performers, as well as public craftsmen who are traditionally engaged in kamancha crafting, are very dedicated to resolving the problems of this musical instrument and are responsible for it.