Armenian Backgammon Set Hand Carved - Four Dynasties Coat of Arms

Armenian Backgammon Set Hand Carved - Four Dynasties Coat of Arms, by Hrachya Ohanyan

The whole country on one lid. Inside a round frame ringed with rope and beads at the centre of the cover, master Hrachya Ohanyan carved the coat of arms of Armenia in deep relief: the eagle on one side and the lion on the other, holding the shield between them; at the shield's heart Mount Ararat with the ark on its peak; around it the emblems of the four royal houses — Artaxiad, Arsacid, Bagratuni and Rubenid; and beneath, cut small and clear, the sword, the broken chain, the sheaf of wheat, the pen and the ribbon. Around the frame runs a field of scale-fine carved lattice between lobed panels edged in rope and beads, inside a wide carved border with stepped rims, and the whole board is stained a warm honey brown. A handmade Armenian backgammon set hand-carved from a single piece of beech at the full 23.6″ / 60 cm — the classic straight board, with the emblem of the Republic given room to breathe.

Undo the cast-bronze clasps and the 23.6″ / 60 cm hand-carved wooden backgammon board opens on a carved wheel ornament in a scrolled ring at the heart of each half, pale points tipped with fleur-de-lys flourishes and an ornate bronze hinge on the centre bar. Thirty-two checkers in light and dark wood, a dice set and the branded carrying case come with it. This is the handmade backgammon board for the office with the flag in the corner, the son who has just taken his oath and the grandfather who wants the emblem in the house, not on a screen.

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, stained honey brown and varnished
• Motif: the coat of arms of the Republic of Armenia carved in deep relief — eagle and lion holding the shield, Mount Ararat with the ark, the emblems of the Artaxiad, Arsacid, Bagratuni and Rubenid houses, the sword, broken chain, wheat, pen and ribbon — inside a round rope-and-bead frame; scale-fine carved lattice field, lobed panels with rope-and-bead edges, wide carved border; wheel ornaments and fleur-de-lys points 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

• Every heraldic detail, by hand: the feathers of the eagle, the mane of the lion, the ark on the peak and the four quarters of the shield are all cut in the Hrachya Ohanyan workshop — look close and you can see the chisel, and no two boards come out the same.
• A frame worthy of the emblem: a rope-and-bead ring, lobed panels, a scale-fine lattice field and a wide carved border — the classic straight board, cut all the way to the rims.
• 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 coat of arms, the lattice, the rope and beaded borders and the wheel ornaments inside are all cut into the wood by hand, not printed or pressed. The honey colour is a stain in the wood under the varnish.

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.

The Coat of Arms of Armenia

The emblem was drawn for the First Republic in 1918 by the architect Alexander Tamanian and the painter Hakob Kojoyan, and Armenia took it back on 19 April 1992, a few months after independence. Everything on it means something. The eagle and the lion are the old royal beasts. The shield holds Ararat with the ark on its peak, and around the mountain the four royal houses that ruled Armenia across two thousand years — Artaxiad, Arsacid, Bagratuni and Rubenid. Below the shield lie a sword for strength, a broken chain for freedom, ears of wheat for a people who work, a pen for the culture, and a ribbon in the colours of the flag. Master Ohanyan carves all of it, in beech, at the size of a hand. On a nardi board it is the country, closed, on a shelf.

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 citizenship ceremony, a graduation, an office opening, Independence Day on 21 September or the father who keeps the flag on the wall, a hand-carved Armenian backgammon set with the coat of arms on the lid is the backgammon gift set that says exactly where it comes from. We send it at Christmas and to Armenians far from home. It gets opened, played and passed on.