ARMENIA and Ararat Backgammon Set with Grapes and Pomegranate

ARMENIA and Ararat Backgammon Set with Grapes and Pomegranate — Handmade in Armenia

ARMENIA runs across the bottom of this Armenian backgammon set in pale inlaid capitals, and above it a landscape is cut into the wavy-edged lid: Ararat's snow peaks, a walled monastery on its hill, poplars, vineyard furrows, a grape cluster in one top corner and a pomegranate in the other. 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ open, handmade in Armenia.

It is the board that says where it is from without a symbol to decode. The lettering and the snow are pale wood let into the dark stain, the mountain, monastery and fruit are cut in low relief and line, and the whole lid is left uncrowded — brown wood between the motifs. The other face carries an inlaid chequered panel with a floret stamped on each pale square, a grape cluster on one side and a pomegranate on the other.

Open it and Armenia appears once more: a province map is incised into each half, every region lettered in Armenian, under spear-tipped points, with troughs along the rails and two ornamental hinges on the spine. It comes with 32 wooden checkers and a dice set.

Specifications

• Size open: 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″
• Size folded: 60 × 30 cm / 23.6″ × 11.8″
• Material: beech wood, medium brown stain with pale wood inlay in the lettering, the snow peaks and the chequered panel, brass-toned hinges and clasps
• Carving: ARMENIA in inlaid pale-wood capitals under Ararat's snow peaks, a walled monastery, two poplars and vineyard furrows in low relief and line, grape cluster and pomegranate in the top corners of a wavy-edged lid; inlaid chequered panel with stamped florets between a grape cluster and a pomegranate on the other face
• Checkers: 32 wooden checkers; a dice set
• Inside: an incised province map of Armenia lettered in Armenian in each half; incised spear-tipped points; checker troughs along the rails
• Hardware: two ornamental brass-toned hinges on the spine, two small brass-toned clasps on the front edge
• Craftsmanship: handmade in Armenia

What's Included

• Folding beech backgammon board
• 32 wooden checkers
• Dice set

Why You'll Love It

• Says it outright: the name in pale capitals, the mountain, the monastery and the vine — every Armenian symbol on one lid.
• Armenia inside too: a lettered province map in each half under the points.
• Uncrowded: the motifs sit on plain brown wood rather than a carved ground, so the lid reads cleanly from across the room.

Good to Know Before You Buy

Is the lettering carved or inlaid? Inlaid — the capitals and the snow on the peaks are separate pieces of pale wood let into the stained lid, while the mountain, monastery, poplars, grapes and pomegranate are cut into the wood in low relief and line. The five photos show the board alone; the checkers and the dice set are listed from the maker's specification, and there is no bag.

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? Wipe the flat faces with a dry cloth and brush the incised landscape and the map inside with a soft dry brush. Keep the board out of direct sun and away from heat, and store it closed.

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