France, March 2 -- Archaeological excavations on the Ile de Re, an island off France's Atlantic coast, have unearthed graves and artefacts dating back to the 8th century - findings that confirm trading ties with Northern European and Celtic peoples.

"What is exciting and quite unique is to find various objects from as far as Ireland, England, the Netherlands and Germany buried with the corpses in this part of western France, in the late 8th century," archaeologist Annie Bolle, of France'sNational Institute of Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP), told RFI.

Bolle is the scientific project manager for excavations taking place at La Flotte, a village on theIle de Re, off the French Atlantic coast.

INRAP was called in to look at a pl...