All the necessary wooden items, including furniture, were made by the Adyghe with their own hands for centuries. Wood processing belongs to the most ancient crafts of the Adyghe. This is evidenced by archaeological findings.

Adyghe craftsmen with great skill made “ane”, which was simultaneously a table and a tray. These tables were the most widespread in Adygea, each family had one. They were most often made on a lathe from elm and less often from beech and ash. These tables were often very elegant. Woodcarvers sought to place an image of a horned animal’s head on the bottom of the table, most often a ram, as a symbol of abundance in the customer’s house. Three-legged benches with legs turned on a lathe were made for these tables.

Vyacheslav Ujuhu, a master woodworker, told how he creates the ane table:

Ane tables appear in the ancient Adyghe epic about the Nart bogatyrs (heroes) and other Adyghe legends as a sacred symbol of home, family, hospitality and an object with magical powers. Also, a short round Adyghe table symbolized proximity to both the Sun and the Earth at the same time.

It symbolizes unity and equality of all those sitting at it. Meals at this table united people. In the past, foreign travelers thought these tables were trays on legs. And indeed, the top of the table was carried in, already set with different dishes which were served in an established order. Traditionally, ane tables didn’t require tablecloths. The table was washed with hot water at the end of the meal.

The table is still seen as an integral interior item in many Adyghe households. Vyacheslav Ujuhu, a craftsman who makes traditional Adyghe objects and reviver of the historical traditions of wood carving, said: