King Tigran the Great Armenian Backgammon Set in Walnut with Handle

King Tigran the Great Armenian Backgammon Set in Walnut with Handle — Handmade in Armenia

Wearing the tall tiara set with a star between two eagles, Tigran the Great faces right in carved profile across the lid of this walnut Armenian backgammon set, grape bunches and vine leaves cut round him on a stippled ground and a cut-out carry handle through the top edge. 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″ open, 30 × 60 cm folded, handmade in Armenia.

The king's beard, the ties of his crown and the folds of his collar are all cut in relief, and the vine leaves either side are veined and layered. The other outer face of the wooden backgammon board carries a chequered panel, alternate squares stamped with a small star, between two shell-scroll panels.

Open, the pale walnut carries an incised map of historic Armenia in one half and of the present republic in the other, with incised points tipped with arrows, rope-carved handle bars at each side 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: walnut wood, natural finish, brass hinges and clasps
• Carving: Tigran the Great in profile in the star-and-eagle tiara, grapes and vine leaves round him; star-stamped chequered panel between shell scrolls on the other face
• Checkers: 32 wooden checkers, dark and pale; dice
• Carry handle: cut-out grip with a rope-carved bar through the top edge of both halves
• Inside: incised points with arrow tips and two lettered maps of Armenia; corner dice recesses
• Hardware: brass hinges and two side clasps
• Craftsmanship: handmade in Armenia

What's Included

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

Why You'll Love It

• The tiara says who: star between eagles, the crown Tigran wears on his coins.
• Grapes in the round: the bunches stand almost clear of the lid beside the king.
• Maps inside: historic and present-day Armenia incised and lettered in the two halves.

Good to Know Before You Buy

How do we know it is Tigran? By the crown — the pointed tiara with a star flanked by two eagles is the one on Tigran the Great's coinage, and this carving copies it. The king and the vines are relief over a stippled ground; the maps and points inside are incised lines in the walnut.

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 relief with a soft dry brush and wipe the flat walnut 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.