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The LYRA of the Greeks of Pontos (Black Sea region of Asia Minor) is also known as the "Kementche". It is the main instrument used in Pontian music. It is a bottle-shaped, 3-stringed fiddle played in the upright position. It is sometimes played by resting it on the knee when sitting, and sometimes it is held out in front.
Its small light weight design allows it to be held up for a long time and in some cases the musician would follow the first dancer around (even dance as well). This is mainly due to the Not so loud sound of the lyra.
The lyra usually has three strings which have several tunings. Common tunings include: a-a-d, e-a-d, and many others in 4ths (the strings are of 2 octaves ... La, Mi, Ci). Since the instrument was often played alone, the tuning was often done according to the preference of the musician and his voice's range.

The musicians usually play two or all three strings at the same time, utilizing the open string(s) as a sort of drone to the melody. Sometimes they play the melody on two strings at once, giving a primitive harmony in fourths. They tend to play with many trills and embellishments, and with the unusual harmonies.

HISTORY

The pontian lyra is said to be a descendant of the first lyra mentioned in Greek mythology. It was Orpheas the god of Music who created the lyra from a Turtle shell (see pic). However the Lyres of today look nothing like the lyres of old. The oldest lyra found in Greece was on the Island of Crete, it dated back to 1500 BC, it had 4 to 8 strings.

The Lyra is also mentioned in the Iliad and many more ancient text.

In Greece today you will find two styles of Lyra

The Pear shaped - Crete, Thrace, Dodeka Islands, Asia Minor
The bottle shape - Pontos

The pair shaped Lyra has a short neck, wooden and also has 3 metal strings. Unlike the Pontian Lyra they are tuned like a Violine and sound very similar.

THE STRINGS
The Lyra of today tend to use 1 guitar "Si" string (No14) or (No13) and 2 "La" strings from a Violine.
The Lyra is mostly played in the left hand with the bow in the right Hand (only few people have chosen to learn otherwise). When playing the lyra, the string on the far left (far right when looking straight on) is called the "ZILL" (meaning high pitch) which is your "Si" string. The string on the other end is called "Kapan or Gapan" (meaning heavier deeper) which is one of your "La" Violin string.

THE TUNING
Zill - "La"
Middle - "Mi"
Kapan - "Si"