Armenian Backgammon Set Hand Carved - Mount Ararat on Lattice

Armenian Backgammon Set Hand Carved - Mount Ararat on Lattice, by Hrachya Ohanyan

Ararat inside an oval, and lattice everywhere else: the two peaks with their snow, a poplar, a pair of birds, a furrowed road running down toward the word ARMENIA and a fan of rays beneath it, carved in relief inside an oval frame — with leaf scrolls curling in from either side and a fine carved lattice filling the whole of the rest of the cover, corner to corner. Master Hrachya Ohanyan kept the outline classic and square and the wood its natural honey colour. A handmade Armenian backgammon set hand-carved from a single piece of beech, with a cover that catches the light from every angle.

Undo the cast-bronze clasps and a full 23.6″ / 60 cm hand-carved wooden backgammon board opens up: a carved wheel ornament in a scrolled ring at the heart of each half, pale points tipped with small carved flourishes, and the warm grain of the board running through it all. Thirty-two checkers in light and dark wood, a dice set and the branded carrying case come with it. This is the wooden backgammon set for the kitchen table — the one that comes out after the coffee and stays out until somebody has to be at work in the morning.

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 furrowed road, rays and the word ARMENIA, carved in relief inside an oval frame with leaf scrolls; full lattice ground, carved wheel 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, with velvet bases
• Dice set
• Branded carrying case

Why You'll Love It

• Lattice corner to corner: every diamond of the ground is cut by hand in the Ohanyan workshop, so the whole cover has texture, not just the picture — and no two boards come out the same.
• It says ARMENIA: the one board on the shelf that needs no explaining, to guests or to grandchildren.
• Ready for the table: full-size 23.6″ / 60 cm board, checkers in light and dark wood, dice and a carrying case — 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 scrolls, the lattice and the wheel ornaments inside are all cut into the wood by hand, not printed or pressed — run a finger across the cover and you feel every diamond.

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 case.

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, and the poplar in front of them is the tree of every village road. Carved on a 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 son who moved abroad, a daughter's new flat or the grandparents who still set the table for twelve, a hand-carved Armenian backgammon set with Ararat and the word ARMENIA on the cover is the backgammon gift set that says it all. We send it at Christmas, on Father's Day and for every new home. It gets opened, played and passed on.