Luxury We Are Our Mountains Walnut Backgammon Set, Two-Sided

Luxury We Are Our Mountains Walnut Backgammon Set, Two-Sided by Hrachya Ohanyan

We Are Our Mountains — the two great heads, every block joint cut — in relief on one cover; a village of stone houses beside a rushing river on the other. This is the 60 cm / 23.6″ luxury Armenian wooden backgammon set made by Hrachya Ohanyan, classic outline, two-sided. Handmade in walnut, 32 checkers, dice and a branded case.

This is the board for the family that left a village behind and the player who wants both the symbol and the place. Turn it one way and the monument fills a smooth oval — the heads built up course by course, the ground rippling below — between cusped panels of star stipple. Turn it over and a whole village is cut in deep relief: stone houses with arched doors, a river tumbling over rocks, trees, a pole with its wires, and the village's name in Armenian letters beneath.

Inside, the game is cut in line work — cross-hatched points, fleur-de-lys tips — and each half carries a coat of arms on a recessed disc: the eagle and lion of Armenia on one, the crowned eagle of Artsakh on the other, a stamped brass hinge between. For the house that talks about home at every meal, and the player who wants the arms on the table, not the wall.

Specifications

• Size open: 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″
• Size folded: 60 × 30 cm / 23.6″ × 11.8″
• Material: walnut wood, natural colour, varnished
• Carving: We Are Our Mountains — the two heads with every block joint cut, on rippled ground — in relief on a smooth oval disc inside a rope-and-bead ring, cusped panels of chip-carved star stipple either side (one cover); a village scene in deep relief — stone houses with arched doors, a river over rocks, trees, a pole with wires, stacked logs and the village's name in Armenian letters — in a cusped rope-and-bead cartouche (other cover); diamond lattice to the corners and rope-and-bead borders on both; the coats of arms of Armenia and Artsakh in line work on recessed discs, cross-hatched points with fleur-de-lys tips inside
• Outline: Classic — straight edges and square corners
• Hardware: brass hinge stamped with the maker's mark, cast-bronze clasps
• Craftsmanship: entirely handmade by Hrachya Ohanyan

What's Included

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

Why You'll Love It

• Two covers, two stories: the monument on one side and a village on the other, so there is no plain side — it shows a picture whichever way it lies on the table.
• The arms inside: Armenia's eagle and lion on one half and Artsakh's crowned eagle on the other, each cut in fine line work on its own disc where the petal wheel usually sits.
• 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

What is the village on the other cover? The board photographed was carved to order: the monument on one cover, a village named Herher — its name cut in Armenian letters beneath the houses — on the other, and the two coats of arms inside. Ask us at checkout about a different village, a name or a date; every change is confirmed with the maker before carving begins. The monument and the village stand in relief in the walnut, the arms and the points are cut in line work, and the board is varnished. Nothing is printed or applied.

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.