Armenian Wooden Backgammon Set - Ararat on Plain Wood

Armenian Wooden Backgammon Set - Ararat on Plain Wood, by Hrachya Ohanyan

The quiet one. Most of the cover is left as plain dark-stained wood, and the picture is drawn in a few small pale marks: the two snow caps of Ararat, a slender poplar, a bird and a cloud, the word ARMENIA on a small plaque near the bottom, and a few faint lines for the fields between. Only the corners carry a fine lattice. Master Hrachya Ohanyan kept the outline classic and square and let the grain do most of the work — a board that looks like a good piece of timber first and a picture second. A handmade Armenian backgammon set from the Hrachya Ohanyan workshop.

Undo the cast-bronze clasps and a full 23.6″ / 60 cm wooden backgammon board opens up: a pale flower ornament at the heart of each dark half, light points tipped with small drops, and the grain showing through the stain. 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 flat with white walls and one good rug — the nardi board that does not shout, and gets played every week.

Specifications

• Size open: 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″
• Size folded: 60 × 30 cm / 23.6″ × 11.8″
• Material: plywood, stained dark around the pale pattern and varnished
• Motif: Mount Ararat with a poplar, a bird, a cloud and the word ARMENIA in small pale marks on a plain cover; lattice corners, two-tone flower ornaments inside
• Outline: classic, with 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

• Ararat without the fuss: two snow caps and a poplar on plain wood — the mountain for people who like their rooms calm.
• The Ohanyan entry ticket: the same workshop, the same 14 stages, the same bronze hardware — at the price of a good dinner for two.
• 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 pattern printed? No. The peaks, the lettering, the corner lattice and the flower ornaments inside are worked into the surface of the wood and sealed under varnish — the pale marks and the dark ground are both the board itself, not a sticker or a transfer, and they will not peel or fade.

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

Ararat rises on the far side of the border, in full view of Yerevan and out of reach — which is exactly why it is on so many Armenian walls, bottles, carpets and boards. The two peaks, Masis and Sis, are the first thing the country sees in the morning and the last thing it sees at night. Drawn small on a plain nardi board with the country's name beneath, the mountain turns the family game into a small piece of home — wherever the family happens to be.

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 nephew's first flat, a colleague who fell for nardi on holiday or the friend who always asks to borrow yours, an Armenian backgammon set with Ararat and the word ARMENIA on the cover is the backgammon gift set that does not need a special occasion. We send it at Christmas, on Father's Day and to Armenians far from home. It gets opened, played and passed on.