Although it is considered one of the oldest string instruments in the region of Macedonia, the kemane appeared in Macedonian music in the late 19th and early 20th century when it entered the Macedonian čalgija compositions. The name of the kemane probably comes from kemençe, the Turkish word for fiddle. The kemane has three strings, although there are some made with four which are very rare. It is mostly spread in Eastern Macedonia and the region of Osogovo where in some parts the instrument is referred to as kjemene, and in the northern parts of Macedonian it is called gusla.