Luxury Maya Calendar Backgammon Set Carved in Walnut

Luxury Maya Calendar Backgammon Set Carved in Walnut — Handmade in Armenia

Some backgammon sets are bought to be played. This one is bought to be remembered. The great calendar stone, carved in full relief across a 60 cm / 23.6″ walnut lid, turns a luxury backgammon set into the piece a whole room is arranged around.

Close it and it stands as a half-disc of carved walnut. Open it and the calendar lies flat and complete, then the game begins on a plain walnut field inside. Every guest will run a hand over the rings before the first roll — and that is the point of a carved backgammon set at this level: it is a conversation before it is a game.

Thirty-two wooden checkers, a dice set and a carrying bag come with the board, so the first game can start the evening it arrives.

Specifications

• Size open: 60 × 60 cm / 23.6″ × 23.6″ — a round lid on a square plan
• Material: walnut wood, oiled finish, with the figure of the grain showing inside
• Carving: the calendar stone in full relief across the lid — sun face, rings of glyphs and day signs, fire serpents at the base, beaded rings, stippled corners; line-work points, a sun in each half and stippled crescents inside
• Checkers: 32 wooden checkers, pale and dark; a dice set
• Size folded: 60 × 30 cm / 23.6″ × 11.8″ (half-disc)
• Hardware: brass hinges and clasps
• Craftsmanship: handmade in Armenia

What's Included

• Folding carved walnut backgammon board
• 32 wooden checkers and a dice set
• Carrying bag

Why You'll Love It

• A calendar in wood: the whole stone — face, rings, serpents — carved across the lid, not a section of it.
• Two boards in one: a full disc lying open, a half-disc case standing shut.
• Walnut inside and out: the figure of the wood carries the field, with the points cut in line work.

Good to Know Before You Buy

Is the carving real? Yes. Every glyph, ring and serpent is cut in relief into the walnut, the corners are stippled by hand, and the points, suns and crescents inside are cut in line work. Nothing is printed or pressed.

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 with a soft brush, wipe the flat wood with a dry cloth and store it closed.

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