Armenian Backgammon Set - Tigran the Great in His Crown

Armenian Backgammon Set - Tigran the Great in His Crown

A king is only remembered kindly if something grew while he reigned. That is the quiet argument this handmade Armenian backgammon set is making: Tigran the Great carved in pale relief at the centre, in profile, crowned in his royal tiara — and around him, cut into the whole border, grapevines heavy with fruit. Not a battle scene. Not a map of the empire. A harvest.

He held the largest kingdom Armenia has ever had, in the first century BC, and every Armenian schoolchild can point at it on a map. But the reason the reign is called golden has less to do with the borders than with what happened inside them, and the carver has chosen to say so with vines rather than swords. Open the clasps, let the bronze hinges swing back, and the full 23.6" / 60 cm playing field is where your own small kingdom gets contested. Carry this hand-carved wooden backgammon board in by its cut-out handle and set it down; the king has seen bigger reversals than a bad roll.

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

• Tigran the Great in profile, crowned in his royal tiara, carved by hand in relief
• A full border of carved grapevines and fruit — the golden age said with a harvest
• Folds shut on bronze hinges and travels by its own cut-out carry handle
• A handmade Armenian backgammon board carrying the country's greatest king

A Gift With a Reign On It

For the Armenian who knows the map by heart, and for the one who just likes the idea that the best kings are measured by what grew. Either way it ends up open on a table, which is the only verdict a board really cares about.