Armenian Wooden Backgammon Set - St. Gayane in Two Tones

Armenian Wooden Backgammon Set - St. Gayane in Two Tones, by Hrachya Ohanyan

The Church of St. Gayane in pale wood on a dark ground: the dome on its drum, the gabled roofs and the arched porch drawn line by line inside a round rope-edged frame, with the saint's name in Armenian letters on a small plaque beneath. Around the frame master Hrachya Ohanyan laid a lobed panel of fine lattice, ran a meander border around the edge of the cover and kept the outline classic and square, so the church holds the centre and everything else keeps quiet. 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, a small metal plaque on the centre bar, 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 family that goes to Etchmiadzin at Easter and plays nardi the rest of the year.

Specifications

• Size open: 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″
• Size folded: 60 × 30 cm / 23.6″ × 11.8″
• Material: beech wood, stained dark around the pale pattern and varnished
• Motif: the Church of St. Gayane with its name in Armenian letters, in a round rope-edged frame; lobed lattice panel, meander border, 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

• A church you can read from the door: the pale picture on the dark ground is clear from across the room and detailed up close — every stone course and arch is there.
• It says Gayane: the name in Armenian letters under the church, for the family that knows exactly which church this is.
• 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 church, the lettering, the lattice and the flower ornaments inside are worked into the surface of the wood and sealed under varnish — the pale picture 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.

St. Gayane

The Church of St. Gayane stands in Vagharshapat, a short walk from the Mother Cathedral of Etchmiadzin, on the spot where the abbess Gayane was martyred in 301 — the story that ended with Armenia becoming the first Christian nation. The church itself was built in 630 by Catholicos Ezr and is one of the purest examples of the domed basilica; the arched porch on the front was added a thousand years later, and the whole site is now UNESCO-listed. On a nardi board it is the quietest possible statement about who is playing.

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 christening, a Gayane's name day, a new home or the parents who took you to Etchmiadzin as a child, an Armenian backgammon set with St. Gayane on the cover is the backgammon gift set that carries its own blessing. We send it at Christmas, at Easter and to Armenians far from home. It gets opened, played and passed on.