In an incredible discovery, archaeologists from India have come across ruins of a ‘Great Forgotten Civilization’ in Mizoram.

A team of archaeologists from Archaeological Survey Of India has excavated structures at Vangchhia, in the Champai district of Mizoram that they believe are from an older civilization which might have once existed there, reported.

Vangchhia is the only ASI protected location in Mizoram.

The site held the key to hitherto-unknown facts about Mizoram and the northeast, Sujeet Nayan, the assistant superintending archaeologist at ASI Delhi and director of the excavation at Vangchhia, told . He also told the newspaper that it might be one of the most significant finds in recent times.

The team documented more than 50 structures at Vangchhai and will return soon for further research and study. Fragments of charcoal and pottery have been collected which will be sent to specialized laboratories for carbon dating and other scientific analysis.

“We were exploring what lay beneath the bushes and thick foliage. The entire site could hold traces of a lost city or a greater lost civilization. It is amazing to stumble upon so many things. We need more time and research to reach a final conclusion,” said Nayan.

The team came across burial sites that seemed like water pavilion and terraces that were reminiscent of palatial buildings. The retaining walls or terraces were made of big stones and the average height of each terrace ranged from 10 to 25 feet.

“The terraces might have served as burial sites, but this can’t be ascertained as of now,” Nayan said. “There are nine terraces. We explored around eight. We also found evidence of what seems to be a water pavilion. We presume people here liked their environment and the water pavilion is comparable to those found in Mughal structures,” he added.

Members of the Archaeological Survey of India agree that this ancient site once belonged to a great ‘Lost Civilization’ which ruled the region in the distant past.

The excavation was conducted after the director general of ASI visited the site in November 2015 with the objective to study the structures that have floral, animal and human depictions on them.

Further studies will be conducted on the site and researchers hope to have more information about the mysterious civilization after lab results provide an approximate age of the structures.

Mizoram is located in northeastern India, and is bordered by Myanmar to the east and south, Bangladesh to the west, and the states Tripura, Assam, and Manipur to the north.

Mizoram is also known as “Land of the Mizos.” It is a hilly area with many forests and a great deal of foliage. Modern Mizoram is populated by Scheduled Tribes, although it is one of the more sparsely populated states in India. The discovery of the lost city in Mizoram may reveal significant information about the ancient civilizations that lived there and in surrounding areas, which would have been influenced by the topography of the area and the climate, as well as provide insight into the origins of the modern-day tribes in Mizoram. –

Often referred to as a paradise unexplored, northeast India is indeed a culturally and historically rich territory, a treasure trove for explorers, nature lovers, trekkers and wildlife enthusiasts alike.