Khor Virap and Ararat Backgammon Set with Handle

Khor Virap and Ararat Backgammon Set with Handle — Handmade in Armenia

Khor Virap sits behind its walls on a hill in the scrolled cartouche of this Armenian backgammon set, poplars beside the church and a road winding up to the gate, with the twin peaks of Ararat in pale wood above. A bunch of grapes with a vine leaf fills the top-left corner and a split pomegranate the top-right, and a cut-out carry handle passes through the top edge of each half. 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″ open, handmade in Armenia.

The wooden backgammon board's other face keeps the fruit theme: a vine leaf carved in a scrolled cartouche on each side of an inlaid chequered panel.

Open it and each half carries a pale inlaid map of Armenia with Artsakh, provinces lettered in Armenian, between fleur-tipped inlaid points; side grips, corner dice recesses and brass-toned hinges. Thirty-two beech and walnut checkers and dice are included.

Specifications

• Size open: 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″
• Size folded: 60 × 30 cm / 23.6″ × 11.8″
• Material: beech wood, dark brown stain with pale wood inlays and brass-toned hinges
• Carving: Khor Virap monastery and Mount Ararat in a scrolled cartouche with grapes and a pomegranate at the corners; vine leaf cartouches flanking an inlaid chequered panel on the other face
• Checkers: 32 wooden checkers, beech and walnut; dice
• Carry handle: cut-out grip through the top edge of both halves
• Inside: pale inlaid points with fleur tips and an inlaid map of Armenia with lettered provinces in each half; side grips and corner dice recesses
• Hardware: brass-toned hinges and two front clasps
• Craftsmanship: handmade in Armenia

What's Included

• Folding beech backgammon board with carry handle
• 32 wooden checkers, beech and walnut
• Dice

Why You'll Love It

• Vines, walls, mountain: the view is carved in that order — fruit in the corners, the monastery mid-ground, Ararat behind.
• Pale snow caps: the two summits are left in bare pale wood against the stippled sky.
• Armenia inside: the map is inlaid in pale wood in each half, provinces lettered, one facing each player.

Good to Know Before You Buy

Are there grapevines all round the frame? Not quite — the old listing had grapevines trailing round the whole frame, but the frame is a leafy scroll cartouche with a single bunch of grapes at one top corner and a pomegranate at the other. The old copy also listed a carrying bag that is not photographed, so it is not included here.

What about shipping and returns? Shipping is free worldwide and tracked. Every set is covered by our 30-day returns policy.

How do I look after it? Brush the carving with a soft dry brush and wipe the flat faces with a dry cloth. Keep the board out of direct sun and store it closed with the checkers inside.

Also known as nardi (нарды), nardy, tavla or shesh besh.