Luxury Armenian Backgammon Set Hand Carved - Eternity Symbol

Luxury Armenian Backgammon Set Hand Carved - Eternity Symbol, by Hrachya Ohanyan

The whole cover of this board is woven — not with reed, but with wood: a basket-weave ground carved strand over strand from edge to edge, so tight you have to touch it to believe it. In the centre, sunk into a round recess, turns the Armenian eternity symbol, its blades cut deep enough to throw real shadow, with carved scrolls at the four corners and a beaded border around everything. It is a luxury Armenian backgammon set in the fullest sense — the oldest Armenian sign there is, hand-carved by National Master Hrachya Ohanyan from a single piece of wood, on a ground that took a craftsman days to weave.

Open the cast-bronze clasps and a full 23.6″ / 60 cm hand-carved wooden backgammon board is inside: a carved wheel ornament at the heart of each half, pale points tipped with small carved flourishes, and the same deep grain running through it all. 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 you buy once — the one the family plays on for a lifetime and then argues about who inherits.

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 and varnished
• Motif: Armenian eternity symbol in a round recess, carved basket-weave ground, scroll corners, carved wheel ornaments 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

• A weave carved by hand: every strand of the basket-weave ground and every blade of the eternity symbol is cut into the wood in the Hrachya Ohanyan workshop — no two boards come out the same.
• The most Armenian of symbols: the eternity sign is carved on khachkars and church walls across Armenia — on this board it is the first thing anyone sees.
• 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 weave, the eternity symbol and the wheel ornaments inside are all cut into the wood by hand, not printed or pressed — run a palm across the cover and you feel every strand.

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 Eternity Symbol

Armenians call it arevakhach — the sun cross — a wheel of curved blades that has turned on khachkars, church walls and manuscript margins since the Middle Ages. It stands for eternal life and for the sun that keeps moving, and today it is the one sign every Armenian recognises at a glance. Set on a nardi board, a game passed down through the same centuries, it says exactly what a board like this is for: to keep going from one generation to the next.

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 wedding, a big anniversary or the parents' house, a hand-carved Armenian backgammon set with the eternity symbol on the cover is the backgammon gift set with the meaning built in. We send it at Christmas and on Father's Day, and to Armenians abroad who want a piece of home on the table. It gets opened, played and passed on.