St. Gayane Church Backgammon Set with Ararat Outline, Medium

St. Gayane Church Backgammon Set with Ararat Outline, Medium by Hrachya Ohanyan

St. Gayane Church drawn stone by stone in line work on a pale disc, its name carved in Armenian beneath, Ararat's twin peaks above. This is the 50 cm / 19.6″ Armenian wooden backgammon set made by Hrachya Ohanyan, medium size. Handmade in beech, with 32 wooden checkers, dice cut from billiard balls and a branded carrying case.

This is the board for the family that wants the church named, not just shown. The disc is left pale and the church is cut into it in fine lines — every block of masonry, the three arches of the gavit, the gable, the dome with its cross, two corner turrets, the paving fanning out in perspective — with a dark cartouche below that reads Գայանե. A rope-and-bead ring holds it; the lid is a fine chip-carved scale pattern with a lattice panel, and the peaks carry their snow.

It is the medium size — a hand's width narrower than the big boards, the same full game inside: pale and dark points with fleur-de-lys tips, a wheel ornament in a scrolled ring on each half, a bronze hinge on the bar, eternity whirls on the back. For the flat with the small table, the baptism gift, and the grandmother who reads the Armenian.

Specifications

• Size open: 50 × 50 cm / 19.6″ × 19.6″
• Size folded: 50 × 25 cm / 19.6″ × 9.8″
• Material: beech wood, stained chestnut and varnished; the church disc kept pale
• Carving: St. Gayane Church in fine line work on a pale disc — masonry block by block, triple-arched gavit, gable, dome with cross, corner turrets, paved court in perspective — with the name Գայանե in a dark cartouche beneath, inside a rope-and-bead ring; chip-carved scale pattern across the lid; lattice side panel; the two snow-streaked peaks of Ararat along the top edge; eternity whirls on the back
• Outline: Ararat — the twin peaks of Mount Ararat along the top edge, over a scrolled body with curled corners
• 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

• Named in Armenian: the word Գայանե is carved under the church, so the board says what it is to anyone who can read it.
• Drawn, not just carved: the masonry is cut line by line on a pale ground, so the church reads like an ink drawing from across the room.
• 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 church and its lettering are cut into the pale disc in shallow line work, the scale pattern and lattice are chip-carved across the lid, and the peaks are shaped along the top edge. Stain and varnish come last; 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.