Wolf and Eagle Backgammon Set, Two-Sided

Wolf and Eagle Backgammon Set, Two-Sided by Hrachya Ohanyan

A snarling wolf across the whole lid and an eagle across the whole back, both in deep relief on cross-hatched grounds, with the map of Armenia inside. This is the 60 cm / 23.6″ Armenian wooden backgammon set made by Hrachya Ohanyan. Handmade in beech, with 32 wooden checkers, dice cut from billiard balls and a branded carrying case.

This is the board for the player who wants a beast on each side and Armenia underneath. The wolf runs corner to corner: jaws open on both rows of teeth, ears back, the fur cut in long streaming strokes that fill the cover, all standing off a fine cross-hatched ground inside a rope-and-bead border. Turn it over and the eagle takes the back the same way — hooked beak, a hard round eye, wing feathers laid in overlapping rows, and a pair of talons closing at the bottom edge.

Open it and the surprise is the map: the Republic of Armenia, province by province, left pale in the dark field with its borders cut in, on each half, with pale carved-tipped points either side and an ornate bronze hinge on the bar. For the diaspora house, the hunting lodge, and anyone who wants the homeland under the checkers.

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
• Carving: snarling wolf head with streaming fur across the lid; eagle head, wing feathers and talons across the back — both in deep relief on cross-hatched grounds inside rope-and-bead borders; inside, the map of Armenia with its provinces on each half, and carved-tipped points
• 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

• Wolf one way, eagle the other: each cover carries a full animal, so closed on the shelf it shows a wolf or an eagle depending on which way you set it down.
• Armenia inside: the map with all its provinces is carved into both halves of the field — the one Armenian detail on a board that otherwise belongs to the wild.
• 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 wolf and the eagle are carved in deep relief into the beech, the fur and feathers cut stroke by stroke, the cross-hatching behind them worked into the same covers, and the map inside is cut into the field. Stain and varnish come last; nothing is printed, cast 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.