Pomegranate Knot Backgammon Set with Contour Outline

Pomegranate Knot Backgammon Set with Contour Outline by Hrachya Ohanyan

Four small pomegranates sit at the tips of a knot of interlaced bands inside a twisted rope ring. This is the 60 cm / 23.6″ Armenian wooden backgammon set made by Hrachya Ohanyan on his contour outline. Handmade in beech, with 32 wooden checkers, dice cut from billiard balls and a branded carrying case.

This is the board for the Armenian who wants the symbol without the postcard: two of the best-loved marks in Armenian ornament, the pomegranate and the eternity whirl, set into one knot. The bands weave over and under in relief, the whirl turns at the centre, and each pomegranate is carved with its crown and a window of seeds. A thick twisted rope rings it; the lid beyond is diamond lattice with cusped panels, and the rim swells and curls in the contour shape.

Inside, the carving stays out of the way of the game: fleur-de-lys-tipped points in pale and dark wood, a wheel ornament in a scrolled ring on each half, an ornate bronze hinge on the bar, two more whirls on the back. For the wedding gift, the new flat, and the family that already has the Ararat board.

Specifications

• Size open: 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″
• Size folded: 60 × 30 cm / 23.6″ × 11.8″
• Material: beech wood, stained chestnut and varnished
• Carving: knot of interlaced bands round an eternity whirl with four pomegranates at the tips, in relief inside a twisted-rope ring on a stippled ground; diamond lattice with cusped panels; eternity whirls on the back
• Outline: Contour — scrolled edges with swelling shoulders and curled corners
• Hardware: cast-bronze hinges and clasps
• Craftsmanship: entirely handmade by Hrachya Ohanyan

What's Included

• Hand-carved backgammon board
• 32 beech and walnut checkers with velvet bases
• Dice set cut from billiard balls
• Branded carrying case

Why You'll Love It

• Pomegranate and eternity: the two Armenian symbols people ask for most, on one lid, without a picture of a mountain.
• Bands you can trace: each strand is carved to pass under its neighbour and up again, so the knot reads as woven, not drawn.
• 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

Is the carving real? Yes. The knot, the pomegranates and the whirl are carved in relief into the beech; the rope ring is cut as a twist, the ground is stippled, and the contour edge is shaped from the board itself. Stain and varnish come last; 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 case.

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.