Archaeologists have unearthed hundreds of Roman graves in southwest France, some of which contain skeletons still bound by shackles on their necks and ankles.

The incredible excavation is located at a building site about 250m west of the Saintes amphitheatre once used for battles between gladiators and wild animals.

Among the hundreds of graves found, five skeletons - four adults and one child - were found shackled or chained.

Dating back to the first and second centuries AD, the grave site is thought to have been an important necropolis used for those massacred at the nearby stadium.

Three skeletons were found with iron chains attached to their legs, another was buried in a crude shackle around his neck and a child was found with a device on its wrist.

Several of the graves were found to be mass burials - pictures show individuals buried side-by-side, head to toe in trench-style graves.

The site was first identified as a possible necropolis last year and scientists are now hoping they can establish the individuals' cause of death.

Roman necropoleis were usually constructed in the country as a site for burials and cremations to take place away from tombs built within a city.

Unfortunately, the graves at Saintes have yielded almost no artefacts or possessions.

Only a few vases were found with the remains of one man, and a child was found with coins resting on his eyes.

Roman custom was to place coins on the eyes of the deceased so the person's spirit could pay the ferryman to take them across the river Romans believed divided the world of the living and that of the dead.