Backgammon Set Hand Carved - Samson and the Lion

Backgammon Set Hand Carved - Samson and the Lion

Look at the border before you look at the fight. The carver has wrapped this hand-carved wooden backgammon set in grapevines and heavy clusters of fruit — and in the story itself, that is exactly where Samson was when the lion came at him: walking down to the vineyards. The scene is cut in pale relief at the centre, man and animal locked together, and the vines are not decoration at all. They are the setting.

What happened next is the part everyone remembers: he came back that way later, found bees nesting in the carcass, took the honey, and made a riddle out of it that nobody could answer. Strength, then sweetness, then a puzzle — which is not a bad description of a good evening at the board either. Open the clasps, let the bronze hinges swing back, and the full 23.6" / 60 cm playing field is ready for the version where the wrestling is done with dice. Carry it in by the cut-out handle and set it down where the argument can be heard.

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

• Samson and the lion carved by hand in relief — two figures in motion, the hardest scene to cut
• A full border of carved grapevines and fruit, drawn straight from the story itself
• Folds shut on bronze hinges and travels by its own cut-out carry handle
• A handmade wooden backgammon board with a scene people actually stop to read

A Gift With a Riddle On It

Give it to the player who likes a story with their game, or to the one who always answers the riddle before anyone else. Either way, the board opens and the evening takes over from the legend soon enough.