A team of archaeologists excavated mysterious structures at Vangchhia in Champai district of Mizoram which they believe that a city belonging to a greater lost civilization might have once existed there. The excavation concluded on Wednesday.

Sujeet Nayan, Assistant Superintending archaeologist at Archaeological Survey of India Delhi and Director of the excavation at Vangchhia, said that this was one of the most important archaeological finds of the present time and it held the key to hitherto-unknown facts about Mizoram and the Northeast.

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.