Luxury Armenian Taraz Backgammon Set with Woven Panel

Luxury Armenian Taraz Backgammon Set with Woven Panel — Handmade in Armenia

A woven panel in red, cream and black is set into each face of this luxury Armenian backgammon set — stepped diamonds in the taraz manner between zigzag bands — inside a border of carved chevrons on a stippled ground. The board is walnut, 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″ open, handmade in Armenia.

This is the wooden backgammon set that puts cloth and carving side by side. The textile panel is a real weave, its pattern raised in the threads, and it sits flush under the moulded walnut frame; the chevrons round it are cut in low relief with the ground between them stippled dark, and the pale edge of the walnut frames the whole face. Both faces carry the same panel and border.

Open it and the walnut takes over: a many-petalled flower is drawn at the centre of each half, the points are looped arrow outlines with trefoil tips, and the ends finish in arched scallops above a trough for the checkers.

Specifications

• Size open: 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″
• Size folded: 60 × 30 cm / 23.6″ × 11.8″
• Material: walnut wood, oiled finish, with a woven textile panel on each face and the figure of the grain showing inside
• Carving: chevron border on a stippled ground and moulded frame round a woven taraz-pattern panel, the same on both faces; looped-outline points, a flower in each half and arched scallops inside
• Checkers: 32 wooden checkers, pale and dark; pair of dice
• Hardware: brass hinges and clasps
• Craftsmanship: handmade in Armenia

What's Included

• Folding carved walnut backgammon board with woven panels
• 32 wooden checkers and a pair of dice
• Carrying bag

Why You'll Love It

• Cloth in the wood: a woven red-and-cream panel on each face, framed in carved chevrons.
• The pattern of the taraz: stepped diamonds and zigzag bands, the colours of Armenian dress.
• Walnut inside: figured wood, looped points and a flower in each half.

Good to Know Before You Buy

Is the panel a print? No — it is a woven textile, the pattern in the threads themselves, set flush into the lid; the chevrons round it are relief left standing when the walnut was cut back and stippled, and the field inside is scored into the wood rather than printed on it. No pressing, no applied carving.

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? Keep it out of direct sunlight and away from radiators. Dust the carving and the woven panel with a soft, dry brush, wipe the flat wood with a dry cloth and store it closed.

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