Armenian Travel Backgammon Set - Coat of Arms, Ararat Outline, 40 cm

Armenian Travel Backgammon Set - Coat of Arms, Ararat Outline, 40 cm, by Hrachya Ohanyan

The emblem and the mountain, cut to a size that fits a rucksack. The top edge of this 15.7″ / 40 cm board rises into the two peaks of Ararat, snow left in the bare pale wood; beneath them, in a round rope-and-bead ring, the coat of arms of Armenia is worked in pale beech against the dark ground — eagle and lion holding the shield, the four dynasties in its quarters, Ararat and the ark at its heart, the sword, chain, wheat and ribbon below. Master Hrachya Ohanyan set the ring on a field of tiny carved stars between pointed-arch panels edged in rope, stained the whole board a warm honey brown and varnished it. A handmade Armenian travel backgammon set from a single piece of wood — one size up from the pocket board, still small enough for the overhead locker.

Undo the cast-bronze clasps and the 15.7″ / 40 cm wooden backgammon board opens on a wheel ornament in a scrolled ring at the heart of each half, pale and dark points tipped with fleur-de-lys, a carved scalloped frame round the field and an ornate 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 portable backgammon set for the embassy waiting room, the summer in the village, and the son who takes the flag with him but would rather take the board.

Specifications

• Size open: 40 × 40 cm / 15.7″ × 15.7″
• Size folded: 40 × 20 cm / 15.7″ × 7.9″
• Material: beech wood, made from one piece, stained honey brown and varnished; the Ararat summits left in bare pale wood
• Motif: the coat of arms of Armenia worked in pale wood on a dark ground inside a round rope-and-bead ring (two-tone); field of fine carved star lattice between pointed-arch rope panels; wheel ornaments and fleur-de-lys points inside
• Outline: Mount Ararat — the two peaks carved in textured relief along the top, with scrolled corners
• 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

• The emblem reads from across the room: pale wood on dark — eagle, lion, shield and ribbon stand out like a seal, worked into the wood in the Hrachya Ohanyan workshop, and no two boards the same.
• The board is the mountain: the Ararat outline is the shape of the lid — closed, it stands on its edge with the pale summits up, even at 15.7″ / 40 cm.
• Ready anywhere: board, checkers in light and dark wood, dice and a carrying case — open it on a train table and play.

Good to Know Before You Buy

How big is it? Open, the board is 15.7″ / 40 cm square — a compact size that still gives a proper game. Closed, it is 15.7″ × 7.9″ / 40 × 20 cm and fits in a bag, peaks up.

Is the emblem printed? No. The coat of arms is pale beech worked into the dark ground and sealed under the varnish — it will not peel or fade. The star lattice, the rope-and-bead ring, the arch panels, the mountain edge and the wheel ornaments inside are cut into the wood by hand, and the snow on the peaks is the beech left bare.

Is 40 cm big enough to play properly? Yes — all thirty-two checkers and both dice on a full-layout board; the points are shorter, not fewer. The same coat of arms board comes at 11.8″ / 30 cm for the pocket and in larger sizes for the table.

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.

Five Symbols and a Mountain

Every schoolchild in Armenia can take the coat of arms apart: the eagle and the lion, who guarded the kings of the Artaxiad and Arsacid lines; the shield with Ararat and Noah's ark at its centre and the four royal dynasties — Bagratuni, Arsacid, Artaxiad and Rubenid — around it; and below, the sword for strength, the broken chain for freedom, the wheat for work, the quill for culture and the ribbon in the colours of the flag. It was drawn in 1918 for the first republic and brought back in 1992 for the second. Carve the board itself into the shape of the mountain on the shield and the emblem sits inside its own landscape — a small one, here, that travels.

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 first passport, a graduation, a colleague who has just taken Armenian citizenship or the uncle who plays on the bus to Gyumri, an Armenian travel backgammon set with the coat of arms on a board shaped like Ararat is the backgammon gift set that fits under the seat in front. We send it at Christmas, on 21 September — Independence Day — and to Armenians far from home. It gets opened, played and passed on.