Georgian Backgammon Set - Coat of Arms and Flag of Georgia

Georgian Backgammon Set - Coat of Arms and Flag of Georgia

Georgia says the same thing twice on this board, in two different languages of symbol. The coat of arms is carved in relief on one side of the lid — Saint George on his horse inside the shield, a lion holding each edge, the crown set above — and the five-cross flag is cut beside it, one big cross and four small, clean and geometric. One image is a scene; the other is a diagram. Carved scrollwork runs between them and out to the border of this handmade Georgian backgammon set.

What is quietly clever is that both contain the same cross, and once you spot that you cannot stop seeing it: the saint's banner and the flag are the same idea, six hundred years apart. Open the clasps, let the bronze hinges swing back, and the full 23.6" / 60 cm playing field is waiting to host something considerably less orderly. Carry this carved wooden backgammon board in by its cut-out handle, set it down, and let whoever loses tonight blame the dice rather than the saint.

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
• Entirely handmade

Why It Stands Out

• The coat of arms of Georgia and the five-cross flag, both carved by hand in relief
• Scrollwork cut between them and carried out to the border
• Folds shut on bronze hinges and travels by its own cut-out carry handle
• A handmade Georgian backgammon board with the country's two great emblems side by side

A Gift That Covers Everything

If you cannot decide between the flag and the arms, this is the board that ends the deliberation. It suits a first Georgian gift, a farewell present, or the friend whose sitting room already has one of each on the wall.