Foliate Disc and Interlace Armenian Backgammon Set with Handle

Foliate Disc and Interlace Armenian Backgammon Set with Handle — Handmade in Armenia

Two bands of interlaced knotwork arch around a dense foliate disc on this Armenian backgammon set, the strands weaving over and under each other while the disc inside them fills with tightly packed leaf scrolls. A third knot band runs round the edge of the lid, smooth wood is left bare in the corners, and a cut-out carry handle passes through the top edge of each half. 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″ open, 30 × 60 cm folded, handmade in Armenia.

Unusually for this range, the wooden backgammon board carries the same carving on both outer faces — disc, arching knot bands and border repeated — so there is no plain side.

Open the board and each half shows a pale-wood sun wheel, its spokes radiating inside a scroll ring, with arrow-tipped points inlaid in the same pale wood on either side. The rails have cut-out grips and a dice recess in every corner. Thirty-two wooden checkers and a pair of dice come with the board.

Specifications

• Size open: 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″
• Size folded: 60 × 30 cm / 23.6″ × 11.8″
• Material: beech wood, mid-brown stain with pale wood inlays, brass hinges and clasps
• Carving: foliate disc framed by two arching interlaced knot bands and a knot-band border, repeated on both outer faces
• Checkers: 32 wooden checkers, beech and walnut; dice
• Carry handle: cut-out grip through the top edge of both halves
• Inside: pale inlaid points with arrow tips and an inlaid sun wheel in a scroll ring in each half; side grips and corner dice recesses
• Hardware: brass hinges and two side clasps
• Craftsmanship: handmade in Armenia

What's Included

• Folding beech backgammon board with carry handle
• 32 wooden checkers, beech and walnut
• Dice

Why You'll Love It

• Carved on both faces: the disc and its knot bands are repeated on the second outer face, not just the lid.
• Knots that never end: the interlace runs unbroken through the arches and the border.
• Bare wood on purpose: the corners are left smooth, so the disc and bands stand out against plain grain.

Good to Know Before You Buy

Is there a chequered side? No — both outer faces carry the same foliate disc and interlaced bands, which is rare in this range. The old listing did not say so. Inside, the sun wheels and points are pale wood set into the stained beech.

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 carving with a soft dry brush and wipe the flat surfaces with a dry cloth. Keep the board out of direct sun and store it closed with the checkers inside.

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