Gavel - Judge Hammer

Around the year 1480 or so - under Common English Law - the Courts were not the courts of today. The Judges were appointed by the Kingspeople and often had no qualifications except two - they were gentlemen of the lower kind and they had to be loyal. A gavel is a small ceremonial mallet commonly made of hardwood, typically fashioned with a handle. It is used almost exclusively in the United States in legislatures and courts of law, but is used worldwide for auctions. It can be used to call for attention or to punctuate rulings and proclamations and is a symbol of the authority and right to act officially in the capacity of a presiding officer.