Split Pomegranate Backgammon Set in Honey Chestnut

Split Pomegranate Backgammon Set in Honey Chestnut by Hrachya Ohanyan

Warm honey all over, and in the ring a pomegranate whole beside one broken open, its seeds carved dark against the pale flesh. This is the 60 cm / 23.6″ Armenian wooden backgammon set made by Hrachya Ohanyan, classic outline. Handmade in beech, with 32 wooden checkers, dice cut from billiard balls and a branded carrying case.

This is the board for the room that is already wood — the oak table, the walnut dresser — and wants one more warm thing on it. The fruit is carved in the round: a full pomegranate with its calyx, and beside it one split to a bowl of seeds cut bead by bead, leaves fanning behind on a cross-hatched ground, all under one honey stain so the carving reads by shadow, not colour. A rope-and-bead ring closes it; beyond, cusped honeycomb panels, diamond lattice and rope borders.

Open, the points are pale and dark with fleur-de-lys tips, a wheel ornament sits in a scrolled ring on each half, an ornate bronze hinge on the bar; the back carries an eternity whirl in each cusped panel. For the birthday, the Armenian kitchen, and the buyer who wants the fruit board in the warm, quiet finish.

Specifications

• Size open: 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″
• Size folded: 60 × 30 cm / 23.6″ × 11.8″
• Material: beech wood, stained honey chestnut and varnished; pomegranate seeds coloured dark
• Carving: a whole pomegranate and a split pomegranate with its seeds carved one by one and coloured dark, with leaves, in relief on a cross-hatched ground inside a rope-and-bead ring; cusped panels of honeycomb stippling and diamond lattice; rope borders; eternity whirls on the back
• Outline: Classic — a square frame with a moulded rim
• 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

• One warm colour: no pale disc, no dark frame — the whole lid is one honey stain, so the pomegranates are read by their shadows.
• Carved in the round: the whole fruit stands off the ground and the split one is hollowed to a bowl, so the light moves over them as you walk past.
• 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. Both pomegranates, the leaves and the ground under them are carved in relief from the beech, the seeds are cut singly and darkened, and the rope ring, honeycomb and lattice are cut into the lid around them. Stain and varnish go on 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.