Armenian Backgammon Set - Coat of Arms in a Vine Wreath

Armenian Backgammon Set - Coat of Arms in a Vine Wreath

The shield at the centre of this handmade Armenian backgammon set holds a mountain with a boat resting on it — Ararat and the Ark, carved in pale relief, with the eagle and the lion braced either side. And then the carver ran a wreath of grapevines all the way around it, which is not decoration so much as the rest of the story. When the water went down and Noah came off that mountain, the first thing he is said to have done was plant a vineyard.

So the border is the sequel to the shield, and the whole lid reads in order: the flood, the landing, and then — finally — something growing again. Armenians have been telling that sequence about themselves for a very long time. Open the clasps, let the bronze hinges swing back, and the full 23.6" / 60 cm playing field is where the modern version happens: everything goes wrong, and then you rebuild point by point until you are back in the game. Carry this hand-carved wooden backgammon board in by its cut-out handle and set it down.

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

• The coat of arms of Armenia — eagle, lion, Ararat and the Ark — carved by hand in relief
• A full wreath of carved grapevines running around the shield
• Folds shut on bronze hinges and travels by its own cut-out carry handle
• A handmade Armenian backgammon board where the border finishes the story the shield starts

A Gift That Reads Properly

Give it to somebody who will notice the vines and work out why they are there. That moment — when the border suddenly makes sense — is worth more than any amount of explaining, and it happens roughly ten minutes before the first game starts.