Armenian Backgammon Set - St. Hripsime of Etchmiadzin

Armenian Backgammon Set - St. Hripsime of Etchmiadzin

Built in 618 and never really improved upon since — that is the quiet boast of St. Hripsime, and this handmade Armenian backgammon set puts it somewhere you will actually look at it. The church is hand-carved in deep relief inside an oval frame at the centre of the lid, its pointed dome and clean cross plan cut with the same discipline the original masons used, and carved scrollwork runs out from the frame to the edges of the board.

Armenians will tell you the proportions of this church were copied for a thousand years afterwards, and once you look properly you can see why: there is nothing on it that is decoration for its own sake. The same is true of the wooden backgammon board underneath. Open the clasps, let the bronze hinges swing back, and inside is a full 23.6" / 60 cm playing field — no clutter, no cleverness, just the field, the checkers and whoever you have talked into sitting down. Carry it in by the cut-out handle, set it on the table, and let fourteen centuries of perfect proportion preside over dice that behave far less nobly.

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
• Handmade in Armenia

Why It Stands Out

• The 7th-century church of St. Hripsime, hand-carved in relief inside a carved oval frame
• Scrollwork cut by hand across the lid, right into the corners
• Folds shut on bronze hinges and travels by its own cut-out carry handle
• A handmade Armenian backgammon board that carries a piece of Etchmiadzin with it

A Gift With Roots

For the family that still drives out to Etchmiadzin when they visit, or for anyone in the diaspora who wants one solid, unmistakable piece of home on the table. Set it down, open it, and the argument about who rolls first can begin under the oldest good architecture Armenia has.