Meaning of "fan"

[all potted out]

Dear Teachers,

As I know a fan is a device for creating a current of air. But what does "fan" mean in the following sentence?

"Soil fell in soft dry fans upon the granite floor."

[Yankee]

Hi APO

I'd think possibly that the soil had fallen and spread out on the floor in the shape of one (or more) oriental or feather fans.
Or possibly the author wants to say that the appearance of the soil was "feathery".

Amy
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Amy
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ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English