Armenian Wooden Backgammon Set - St. Hripsime and Grapevines

Armenian Wooden Backgammon Set - St. Hripsime and Grapevines, by Hrachya Ohanyan

The Church of St. Hripsime in pale wood on a dark ground: the dome, the gables and the stone courses drawn line by line inside a round rope-edged frame, with the saint's name in Armenian letters beneath. On either side a grapevine climbs the cover — broad leaves, curling tendrils and full bunches of grapes, all in the same light tone against a finely stippled dark ground. Master Hrachya Ohanyan shaped the board in the curved, stepped contour outline that is the workshop's signature, so the silhouette is as recognisable as the church. 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 plays nardi on the balcony under its own vine — and for the ones who wish they still could.

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. Hripsime with its name in Armenian letters, in a round rope-edged frame, flanked by grapevines with leaves and grape bunches; stippled ground, rope border, two-tone flower ornaments inside
• Outline: signature contour silhouette 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

• A church and a vine: the two oldest Armenian pictures on one cover, in light wood on dark — clear from across the room, detailed up close.
• The contour outline: the curved, stepped silhouette means you recognise one of these boards from across the room, closed or open.
• 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 vines, the stippled ground and the flower ornaments inside are worked into the surface of the wood and sealed under varnish — the pale pattern and the dark ground are both the board itself, not a sticker or a transfer, and they will not peel or fade. The stepped contour edge is carved.

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. Hripsime

The Church of St. Hripsime stands in Vagharshapat, next to Etchmiadzin, on the spot where Hripsime was martyred in 301 — the young woman who refused the king and whose death set in motion Armenia's conversion, the first of any nation. The church was built in 618 by Catholicos Komitas and has barely changed since; architects still come to study its plan, and the whole site is UNESCO-listed. The vine beside it is the other Armenian constant — the country has been making wine for six thousand years, and a grape bunch on a nardi board means plenty, hospitality and a long table. Together they say home better than any caption.

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 wedding, a Hripsime's name day or the grandparents who still make their own wine, an Armenian backgammon set with St. Hripsime and grapevines 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.