Instruments · bowed
Kamancheh کمانچه
The kamancheh is a spike fiddle with a round, skin-covered body. It is played upright on the knee; the musician turns the instrument to the bow, not the other way round. Its sound is warm and plaintive, close to the human voice. UNESCO recognised the art of the kamancheh as intangible cultural heritage in 2017; Kayhan Kalhor is its best-known player today.