During the Roman era, the free Germanic tribes living north of the Rhine were particularly keen on gold solidi. The Beilen hoard consists of 23 gold solidi, a gold bracelet and five gold neck rings. To produce the six ornaments, over a hundred solidi must have been melted down. They are embellished with typically Germanic stamp decorations in the form of circles and ovals. The hoard was extremely valuable, and must have belonged to a prominent tribesman. Around 395 AD these gold objects were buried in a swampy spot near the banks of a stream, probably as an offering.