In the oldest written documents gold panning was practiced in Ancient Rome. However, people used to pan for gold much earlier according to oral histories. Gold was found in Serbia in the brooks (creeks) at the foothills of mountains Kopaonik, Goc, and Jastrebac. The river Pek in East Serbia was the most abundant in this precious material. The gold particles were panned in special wooden vessels called panners. This activity dating from ancient times requires a lot of patience and above all, good luck. People used to collect mud and sand from the bottom of the riverbed with panners, and panned it with light circular movements in search of shiny golden grains.

This kind of panning remains, while informal, part of Serbian family tradition.