Lalish Temple Backgammon Set with Classic Outline

Lalish Temple Backgammon Set with Classic Outline by Hrachya Ohanyan

Lalish, the Yazidi temple, in deep relief: three fluted spires over stone-block walls, leafy trees either side, a mountain behind, in a lobed cartouche. This is the 60 cm / 23.6″ wooden backgammon set made by Hrachya Ohanyan, classic outline. Handmade in beech, with 32 wooden checkers, dice cut from billiard balls and a branded carrying case.

This is the board for the Yazidi family — in Armenia, in Germany, in Iraq — who wants Lalish on the table. The spires are cut with every flute, two tall and one small, standing on courses of carved stone with an arched doorway; a rubble wall runs off to the right, the trees are worked leaf by leaf, the hill behind is ridged, and the sky is cross-hatched so the whole scene stands off it. Rope-and-bead borders and diamond lattice fill the rest of the lid.

Turn it over and there is a golden sun on a green disc at either side — the sun the Yazidi faith prays towards. Inside, a honey field with pale and dark fleur-de-lys-tipped points, a wheel ornament in a scrolled ring on each half, and an ornate bronze hinge. For the Yazidi wedding, the family in the diaspora, and anyone who has made the pilgrimage to Lalish.

Specifications

• Size open: 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″
• Size folded: 60 × 30 cm / 23.6″ × 11.8″
• Material: beech wood, stained honey chestnut and varnished, with green resin sun discs on the back
• Carving: Lalish temple in deep relief — three fluted conical spires over stone-block walls with an arched doorway, a rubble wall, leafy trees either side, a ridged hill behind — on a cross-hatched sky inside a lobed rope-and-bead cartouche; diamond lattice fields; rope borders; a golden sun on a green disc in a lattice panel at either side of the back
• Outline: Classic — a square frame with a moulded rim
• Hardware: cast-bronze hinges and clasps
• Craftsmanship: entirely handmade by Hrachya Ohanyan

What's Included

• Hand-carved backgammon board
• 32 beech and walnut checkers with velvet bases
• Dice set cut from billiard balls
• Branded carrying case

Why You'll Love It

• A real place: Lalish is carved as it stands — the fluted cones, the stone courses, the arched door — not a generic temple, so a Yazidi will know it at once.
• Sun on the back: the golden sun on green at either side of the back cover means the closed board shows the faith's sign from the other side too.
• Make it theirs: add a name or a date at checkout to mark a birthday, a retirement or years of games together.

Good to Know Before You Buy

Is the carving real? Yes. The spires, walls, trees and hill are carved in deep relief into the beech, the sky behind is cross-hatched, and the lattice and rope borders are cut into the same lid; the suns on the back sit in carved discs filled with green resin. Stain and varnish come last; nothing is printed or applied to the carving.

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 policy.

How do I look after it? Keep it out of direct sunlight and away from radiators. Wipe with a dry, soft cloth and store it closed in its carrying case.

About the Artist - Hrachya Ohanyan

National Master Hrachya Ohanyan began his fine woodcraft in 1985 and founded his workshop in Yerevan in 2010. This board belongs to his collection of wooden backgammon sets, each one made by hand by the craftspeople of that workshop. Read Hrachya Ohanyan's story or explore the full backgammon collection.

Also known as nardi (нарды), nardy, tavla or shesh besh.