America's largest pirate mass burial site has been discovered after 300 years, with more than 100 sets of remains offering clues to the crew's exploits.

Archaeologists believe the site is the last resting place of Captain "Black Sam" Bellamy's crew, who drowned when the Whydah Gally, their ship, was wrecked at sea in 1717.

The body of Bellamy, thought to be the richest pirate ever, was not accounted for at the time but around 100 of his crew were recovered and given a land burial in Massachusetts.

Casey Sherman, leading the investigation into the Whydah, said: "We believe that we have found the largest mass burial ground in the US.

"Over 100 pirates washed ashore on Cape Cod [after the wreck], and our team believe that we have located it.

"It's very hallowed ground... Almost every day we're learning more about what happened 300 years ago."

Mr Sherman said the team cannot publicly reveal the grave's exact location yet but it is located in a secluded area in the outer cape of Cape Cod, where a village called Freshbook once stood.