Armenian Backgammon Set with Ornament in Walnut

Armenian Backgammon Set with Ornament in Walnut — Handmade in Armenia

This is the kind of backgammon set that gets an evening started. Pale natural walnut, a traditional Armenian ornament carved into both faces, and a full 60 cm / 23.6″ playing field — a wooden backgammon board that makes people pull up a chair.

Open it and the game takes over. Checkers click on real walnut, the points are cut into the wood rather than printed, and the carving on the outside is there for whoever is waiting for the next game. Handmade in Armenia, this Armenian backgammon set is made to be played every week, not kept on a shelf.

Thirty-two wooden checkers and a dice set come with the board, so the first game can start the evening it arrives.

Specifications

• Size open: 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″
• Size folded: 60 × 30 cm / 23.6″ × 11.8″
• Material: walnut wood, natural finish, brass hinges and clasps
• Carving: interlaced knot roundel, plaited border and palmette corners in shallow relief, the same on both outer faces
• Checkers: 32 wooden checkers, dark and pale; a dice set
• Inside: incised points with arrow tips and a spoked wheel in each half; arched end rails, corner dice recesses
• Hardware: brass hinges and two side clasps
• Craftsmanship: handmade in Armenia

What's Included

• Folding walnut backgammon board, carved on both outer faces
• 32 wooden checkers, dark and pale
• Dice Set

Why You'll Love It

• One knot, one band: the roundel is a single interlaced strand you can follow all the way round.
• Natural walnut: unstained, so the streaks in the grain show through the carving.
• Both faces carved: roundel, border and palmettes repeat on the second side.

Good to Know Before You Buy

Why is the walnut so pale? The board is left unstained, so it shows the walnut's natural range from pale sapwood to darker streaks rather than a uniform brown. The knot, border and palmettes are cut into it in shallow relief over a stippled ground; the points and wheels inside are incised lines.

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 with a dry, soft cloth and dust the carving with a soft brush. Keep the board out of direct sun so the pale walnut does not darken unevenly, and store it closed.

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