Guwahati, May 4: The Assam directorate of archaeology has fast-tracked exploration activities, having discovered over 60 sites and monuments, including ancient tanks, across the state in the past three years.

"We have over the past three years fast-tracked our exploration activities across the state and in the process identified at least 60 archaeological sites and monuments, including several ancient tanks. These will soon be added to our list of 115 protected sites and monuments," Deepirekha Kouli, director of the state archaeology directorate, told The Telegraph here today.

Just in March, a team from the directorate identified and documented a site in Dima Hasao district where about 58 monolithic stone jars, some of them either broken or partially damaged, were found.

"This was a significant discovery as the stone jar burial site, known as Lungmailai, had remained unreported till we visited the area in March this year. We also discovered a unique megalithic site near Khobak (in Umrangso) near the Meghalaya border. About 86 stones across three clusters were found scattered at the site," Nabajit Deori, technical officer of the directorate, said.

The team had conducted an extensive survey before the exploration in Dima Hasao. Five other stone jar sites discovered by the British in the 1930s were also covered.

"This was the first such venture of the directorate in the hill district. The shape and size of the megaliths are unique with some of them round, some cylindrical, while some others were mushroom-shaped," Deori, an archaeologist, said.

Stone jar burial is a unique practice in Dima Hasao.

"We have reported the discovery to the district administration. In February last year, six megalithic sites were discovered at Hamren in Karbi Anglong," he said.

The directorate performs three main tasks - exploration, excavation and conservation. Currently, there are 365 identified archaeological sites in the state and 115 are under the directorate. At least 55 are under the Archaeological Survey of India. The remaining sites are still not under either authority's jurisdiction.

The directorate plans to carry out excavation in some of the newly discovered sites by next year. "We will be engaging experts, including archaeobotanists and zooarchaeologists, in the excavation process," Deori said.

During June-July last year, at least 12 tanks (ponds) were discovered. "Seven tanks were discovered in Sadiya in June last year while in the subsequent month five Ahom-era tanks were identified by the directorate in Charaideo, the new district carved out of Sivasagar. At least 18 sites comprising tanks, forts and earthen ramparts of the Muttock dynasty were found in Tinsukia district in 2014," he said.