Armenian Coat of Arms Travel Backgammon Set with Ararat Outline

Armenian Coat of Arms Travel Backgammon Set with Ararat Outline by Hrachya Ohanyan

Armenia's arms at travel size: the eagle and the lion holding the quartered shield, sword and chain beneath, in deep relief on a stippled disc under Ararat's carved peaks. This is the 40 cm / 15.7″ Armenian wooden travel backgammon set made by Hrachya Ohanyan, Ararat outline. Handmade in beech, 32 checkers, dice, carrying bag.

This is the board for the student's flat abroad, the diaspora office with no room for the big board, and the player who takes the country with them. Nothing is scaled down but the size: the eagle's feathers and the lion's mane are cut one by one, the quartered shield carries the four dynasties with Ararat and the ark at its heart, and the sword, chain, wheat and ribbon sit below — all standing off a stippled disc in a rope-and-bead ring, with diamond lattice to the curled corners.

Open, the pale beech shows in every other point under fleur-de-lys tips, a petal wheel sits in a scrolled ring on each half, and the maker's stamped hinge is on the bar; the back carries a chequerboard of pale and stained squares between two eternity whirls. Closed, it is the size of a hardback and rides in its bag. For the student, the summer house, and the Armenian office drawer.

Specifications

• Size open: 40 × 40 cm / 15.7″ × 15.7″
• Size folded: 40 × 20 cm / 15.7″ × 7.9″
• Material: beech wood, stained dark brown and varnished, the pale points left bare
• Carving: the coat of arms of Armenia — eagle and lion holding the quartered shield of the four royal dynasties with Ararat and the ark at its centre, sword, broken chain, wheat and ribbon below — in deep relief on a stippled disc inside a rope-and-bead ring; cusped panels of chip-carved diamond lattice and rope-and-bead borders; the twin peaks of Mount Ararat with snow ridges carved on the top edge; a chequerboard of pale and stained squares between two eternity whirls on the back; points alternating pale and dark with fleur-de-lys tips and petal wheels in scrolled rings inside
• Outline: Ararat — the twin peaks of Mount Ararat along the top edge, over a scrolled body with curled corners
• Hardware: brass hinge stamped with the maker's mark, cast-bronze clasps
• Craftsmanship: entirely handmade by Hrachya Ohanyan

What's Included

• Hand-carved travel backgammon board with the coat of arms in relief
• 32 beech and walnut checkers with velvet bases
• Dice set cut from billiard balls
• Branded carrying bag

Why You'll Love It

• The emblem, uncut: eagle, lion, the four dynastic quarters, Ararat with the ark, sword and chain — every element of the state arms is carved on the small board, not a simplified version.
• Ararat twice: the mountain sits at the heart of the shield and rises again along the top edge, cut as snow ridges, on a lid you can carry under one arm.
• 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

How big is the travel board? Closed, it is about the size of a hardback book; open, a square a little wider than a laptop, with the checkers scaled to match, so the game plays properly on a café table or a train tray. The arms, the lattice and Ararat's ridges are carved in relief into the beech, the points and petal wheels inside are cut into the field, 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 bag.

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.