Georgian Backgammon Set - Map of Georgia and Grapevines

Georgian Backgammon Set - Map of Georgia and Grapevines

Set the map of a wine country inside a wreath of vines and you have said everything without writing a word. On this handmade Georgian backgammon set the country is carved in pale relief at the centre, its name lettered above in Georgian script, and grapevines run right around it — leaves, tendrils and full clusters, all cut by hand into the lid.

Georgians will tell you their ancestors were burying wine in clay qvevri eight thousand years ago, which makes the vine less a decoration here than a second map: the same land, drawn a different way. Open the clasps, let the bronze hinges swing back, and the full 23.6" / 60 cm playing field arrives for the part of the night that always follows the pouring. Carry this hand-carved wooden backgammon board in by its cut-out handle, put it down, and it will hold the table until well past the point anyone intended to stop.

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 map of Georgia carved in pale relief, named in Georgian script
• A hand-carved wreath of grapevines and clusters running right around it
• Folds shut on bronze hinges and travels by its own cut-out carry handle
• A handmade Georgian backgammon board that maps the country twice over

A Gift For a Wine House

For the friend whose cellar is better than their bookshelf, or the relative who brings a bottle nobody can pronounce. The board opens; the evening takes care of itself from there.