Armenian Backgammon Set Hand Carved - Etchmiadzin Cathedral, Ararat Outline

Armenian Backgammon Set Hand Carved - Etchmiadzin Cathedral, Ararat Outline, by Hrachya Ohanyan

The bell tower of Etchmiadzin stands in front of the dome on this Armenian backgammon set, as you see it from the gate, carved in deep relief under the peaks of Ararat. Full size, 23.6″ / 60 cm, honey-stained beech, from master Hrachya Ohanyan's workshop — checkers, dice and case in the box.

The peaks are the shape of the lid itself, summits left in bare wood, and the cathedral sits below them inside a rope-and-bead ring: the columned bell tower, the dome on its arcaded drum, the long stone wall and the paved courtyard, with a small plaque reading ԷՋՄԻԱԾԻՆ beneath. Around it the lid is a carved diamond lattice between cusped stippled panels; two eternity whirls turn on the back cover. Inside, each half carries a wheel ornament in a scrolled ring, points in pale and dark wood tipped with fleur-de-lys, and an ornate bronze hinge. The board for the living-room table, and for the friend abroad with the mountain on the fridge. Also known as nardi (нарды), nardy, tavla or shesh besh.

Specifications

• Size open: 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″
• Size folded: 60 × 30 cm / 23.6″ × 11.8″
• Material: beech wood, stained honey brown and varnished
• Motif: the Cathedral of Etchmiadzin in deep relief inside a rope-and-bead ring, on a carved diamond lattice; two eternity whirls on the back; wheel ornaments inside
• Outline: Mount Ararat — the twin peaks carved in relief along the top, with scrolled sides
• 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

• Mountain and cathedral, both carved: the peaks are the board's own outline and the Mother See sits below them in deep relief — the two things every Armenian looks for, on one lid.
• Nothing printed: cathedral, lattice, whirls and points are all cut into the wood by hand in the Hrachya Ohanyan workshop — no two boards are the same.
• Make it theirs: add a name or a date at checkout and it becomes a personalized backgammon set.

Good to Know Before You Buy

Is the carving real? Yes. The cathedral, its towers, walls and courtyard are cut into the beech by hand in deep relief; the lattice is carved line by line and the peaks gouged in rough strokes. Only the small name plaque is set in rather than carved. The 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.

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 Bell Tower in Front

The cathedral goes back to 301–303, built where Gregory the Illuminator saw the Only-Begotten descend and strike the ground — which is what Etchmiadzin means. The bell tower in front of the west door came in the 1650s, and it is the first thing you see from the gate. The workshop carved exactly that view, and put the mountain where it always is: above everything.

About the Artist - Hrachya Ohanyan

National Master Hrachya Ohanyan began his fine wood craft in 1985 and founded his workshop in Yerevan in 2010. Every board passes through 14 stages of production and 14 pairs of hands before it is finished. Read the story of master Hrachya Ohanyan or explore the full Hrachya Ohanyan backgammon collection.

A Gift That Lasts

For a christening, a kavor, a house-blessing or a wedding at the Mother See — the backgammon gift set that belongs in an Armenian home, sent at Christmas, Easter and on 21 September.