A gold pan is a shallow, circular dish with a handle that is used to scoop up and sort through material to find gold. Gold pans are a simple and essential tool for gold prospecting and have been used for centuries by prospectors and miners around the world.

The history of gold pans can be traced back to ancient civilizations, where they were used to separate gold from other materials using the principles of gravity. In ancient Egypt, for example, gold pans were used to separate gold from sand and other materials that were washed down the Nile River. In ancient Greece and Rome, gold pans were used to separate gold from gravel and other materials that were found in rivers and streams.

During the Middle Ages, gold pans were used by prospectors and miners in Europe to search for and extract gold. In the Americas, gold pans were used by the indigenous peoples who lived in the region before the arrival of Europeans. These indigenous peoples used gold pans to search for and extract gold from the rivers and streams that flowed through their lands.

The gold pan has remained an important tool for prospectors and miners throughout history, and is still widely used today in many different parts of the world. Modern gold pans are typically made of plastic or metal and come in a variety of sizes and shapes. They are used in a similar way to the way that they were used in ancient times, with the prospector filling the pan with material from a stream or river and then using the handle to swirl the material around in the pan. As the material is swirled, the lighter, non-gold particles will float to the surface and be washed away, while the heavier gold particles will sink to the bottom of the pan. The gold pan is quite effective, basic, and easy to use. Be sure to read How to Get Started for more information.