The Masonic Gavel is used by the three highest officers of the lodge while conducting business in a tiled lodge meeting. That includes the Worshipful Master, Senior and Junior Wardens. The Gavels are symbols of their office and used to indicate when something has concluded or even to get the brethren’s attention. The Gavel is used to maintain order during a Masonic meeting.
Operative Stonemasons used gavels to shape stones in order to fit them into place more perfectly. Freemasons use gavels as a symbol to remind them of the
There are two types of gavels commonly used in Freemasonry. The common gavel, and the setting maul. The common gavel has a flat end and a shaped end. It is used by stonemasons to break off large chunks of detritus as well as smaller pieces to smooth out the final parts of stone. The setting maul has a heavy flat bottom with a single handle on top. It is used by stonemasons to hammer in the stone and set it into place without damaging the surfaces of the stones themselves.
Some Masonic districts have created a program commonly called the “Traveling Gavel”. It is done to encourage Masonic visitations. This specially engraved gavel is proudly displayed whenever a lodge that has won it, opens a meeting. When another lodge does an official visit during a stated meeting, and has more members than the hosting lodge, then the visitors will win the gavel.
More info:
https://bricksmasons.com/blogs/masonic-education/the-masonic-gavel