Armenian Backgammon Set - Armenian and Russian Coats of Arms

Armenian Backgammon Set - Armenian and Russian Coats of Arms

Two emblems, cut the same size, sitting side by side on one lid — that is the whole idea of this handmade Armenian backgammon set, and the carver made sure neither one sits above the other. On the left, the arms of Armenia: the quartered shield, Ararat and the Ark, the eagle and the lion. On the right, the double-headed eagle of Russia, looking both ways as it always has. Carved scrollwork runs between and around them, tying the two together across the whole board.

You probably know a household where both belong. A grandfather in Yerevan and a grandfather in Moscow would each recognise this hand-carved wooden backgammon board on sight, disagree immediately about one of the rules, and then play until somebody's tea went cold anyway. Open the clasps, let the bronze hinges swing, and the full 23.6" / 60 cm playing field is there for exactly that: two sides, evenly matched, and a long evening to settle it. Pick it up by the cut-out handle and it travels to whichever table you are expected at.

What's Included

• Backgammon board with bronze hinges, clasps and a cut-out carry handle
• 32 checkers made from beech and walnut wood
• A pair of dice and a carrying bag

Specifications

• Folded: 30 x 60 cm / 11.8 x 23.6"
• Open playing field: 60 x 60 cm / 23.6 x 23.6"
• Weight: 5 kg / 11 lb
• Wood: solid beech, with bronze hinges and clasps
• Handmade in Armenia

Why It Stands Out

• Both coats of arms hand-carved in relief, matched in size and given equal weight
• Scrollwork cut by hand across the lid, tying the two emblems together
• Folds shut on bronze hinges and travels by its own cut-out carry handle
• A handmade Armenian backgammon board made for a family with two homes

A Gift For Two Sides of a Family

For the marriage that joined two countries, the friend who moved and never really left, or the house where both languages get spoken over the same table. It says what it needs to say without a single word of it — and then it gets used, which matters more.