Armenian Backgammon Set Hand Carved - Mount Ararat and Sun Cross

Armenian Backgammon Set Hand Carved - Mount Ararat and Sun Cross, by Hrachya Ohanyan

Two signs of Armenia in one carved scene: the twin peaks of Ararat with their snow picked out in pale wood, a poplar and a pair of birds in front of them, a furrowed road running down through the fields — and to the right, turning like a wheel, the big carved sun cross, the arevakhach that Armenians call the eternity sign. Master Hrachya Ohanyan cut the whole picture in relief inside a wide lobed cartouche, filled the corners with fine carved lattice and kept the outline classic and square. A handmade Armenian backgammon set from a single piece of wood, from the Hrachya Ohanyan workshop.

Undo the cast-bronze clasps and a full 23.6″ / 60 cm hand-carved wooden backgammon board opens up: a carved flower ornament at the heart of each half, pale points tipped with small carved drops, and the deep grain of the board running through it all. Thirty-two checkers in light and dark wood, a dice set and the carrying bag come with it. This is the wooden backgammon set for the house where the nardi board comes out before the coffee is poured — and stays out long after.

Specifications

• Size open: 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″
• Size folded: 60 × 30 cm / 23.6″ × 11.8″
• Material: beech wood, carved from one piece and varnished
• Motif: Mount Ararat with a poplar, birds, a cloud and a furrowed road beside a large sun cross (eternity sign), carved in relief inside a wide lobed cartouche; lattice corners, carved flower ornaments inside
• Outline: classic, with carved stepped edges
• Hardware: cast-bronze hinges and clasps
• Handmade in Armenia by Hrachya Ohanyan

What's Included

• Backgammon board with bronze hinges and clasps
• 32 checkers made from beech and walnut wood
• Dice set
• Carrying bag

Why You'll Love It

• Two Armenian signs, one cover: the mountain and the sun cross carved side by side in the Ohanyan workshop — no two boards come out the same.
• Room to breathe: the wide cartouche gives the scene the whole lid, so the peaks and the wheel read clearly from across the room.
• Ready for the table: full-size 23.6″ / 60 cm board, checkers in light and dark wood, dice and a bag — open it and play.

Good to Know Before You Buy

How big is it? Open, the board is 23.6″ / 60 cm square — the standard full size for a living-room table. Closed, it is 23.6″ × 11.8″ / 60 × 30 cm and stands on its own edge.

Is the carving real? Yes. The mountain, the sun cross, the lattice and the flower ornaments inside are all cut into the wood by hand, not printed or pressed — run a finger around the wheel and you feel every blade.

What about shipping and returns? Shipping is free to the US, Canada and Europe, always tracked; other countries pay a flat $100 (Brazil, Chile and New Zealand $200). Every set is covered by our 30-day returns.

Can I add a name or a date? Yes — choose the engraving option on this page and tell us the text. A name or a date turns it into a personalized backgammon set, and it is the detail people remember years later.

How do I look after it? Keep it out of direct sun and away from radiators, wipe with a dry soft cloth, and store it closed in the bag.

Ararat and the Sun Cross

Ararat is the mountain in full view of Yerevan and out of reach, the shape the whole country measures itself against. The sun cross — arevakhach, the Armenian eternity sign — is older still: a wheel of curved blades that has turned on khachkars, church walls and doorposts since the Middle Ages, standing for the sun, for life and for the kind of time that does not run out. Carved together on a nardi board, they make the oldest possible promise over the oldest possible game: this goes on.

About the Artist - Hrachya Ohanyan

In 1985, National Master Hrachya Ohanyan began his fine wood craft, introducing a new approach to the age-old traditions of woodworking. After many years of dedication, the Hrachya Ohanyan workshop was established in 2010. Every board passes through 14 stages of production, with 14 separate craftsmen leaving their mark before it reaches its finished form — a piece of wood artistry admired both in Armenia and around the world. Read the story of master Hrachya Ohanyan or explore the full Hrachya Ohanyan backgammon collection.

A Gift That Lasts Generations

For a wedding, a new home or the parents who taught everyone to play, a hand-carved Armenian backgammon set with Ararat and the sun cross on the cover is the backgammon gift set that carries its own blessing. We send it at Christmas, on Father's Day and to Armenians far from home. It gets opened, played and passed on.