Noravank Monastery Backgammon Set with Leaf Scrolls

Noravank Monastery Backgammon Set with Leaf Scrolls — Handmade in Armenia

Two flights of steps climb the facade on this Armenian backgammon set — Noravank's Surb Astvatsatsin church in dressed stone, a cross on its wall and a rotunda belfry on top, on a paved court inside a plain-rimmed roundel, leaf-and-grape scrolls filling the wavy-edged lid either side. 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ open, handmade in Armenia.

Turn it over and the scrolls come back at both ends of the underside, a chequered inlay of pale and dark squares set flush between them.

Open, an outline map of Armenia with its regions is incised into each half between rows of drop-shaped points with round tips, the bar edges are scalloped, and a checker trough runs along each outer rail. Two plain brass-toned hinges, no cut-out grip. The six photos show the board alone.

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 inlay in the chequered panel, brass-toned hinges
• Carving: Noravank's Surb Astvatsatsin church — two-storey facade with twin cantilevered stairs, carved cross and rotunda belfry — in dressed-stone relief on a paved court, inside a plain-rimmed roundel on a stippled ground, leaf-and-grape scrolls either side on a wavy-edged lid; leaf-and-grape scrolls flanking an inlaid chequered panel on the other face
• Checkers: 32 wooden checkers; two dice
• Inside: incised drop-shaped points and an incised outline map of Armenia with regions in each half; scalloped bar edges, checker trough along each outer rail
• Hardware: two plain brass-toned hinges on the spine
• Craftsmanship: handmade in Armenia

What's Included

• Folding beech backgammon board
• 32 wooden checkers
• Two dice

Why You'll Love It

• The stairs that name it: the two narrow flights running up the facade are Noravank's signature, and the carver has cut every tread.
• Stone by stone: the walls are worked as courses of dressed blocks, so the church reads as masonry, not outline.
• Armenia inside: an outline map of the country with its regions is cut into each half of the playing side.

Good to Know Before You Buy

Are the red cliffs of the gorge carved too? No — the old copy set the church against rust-red cliffs, but the carving shows the building alone on a paved court with a stippled ground behind it. There is no bag and no clasps: the old copy listed both, but the six photos show the board only with two plain hinges, and the checkers and dice are listed from the maker's specification.

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 stone courses, the stairs and the stippled ground with a soft dry brush and wipe the flat faces with a dry cloth. Keep it out of direct sun and away from heat; store it closed with the checkers inside.

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