Cahal Pech
Departure: anytime between
8:00 am and 2:00 pm - Drive time: 20 minutes
See the Photo
Gallery for more or watch the Cahal Pech Slideshow
As an introductory ruin you can't go wrong
with Cahal Pech, plus the name means 'place
of ticks' which is always good for a laugh.
As if this weren't enough it has a recently
(2002) renovated archaeology museum so you
get good info as well as a nice romp in
the ruins. It is small and nearby, on the
outskirts of San Ignacio. Its best feature
is a lot of shade trees, which makes it
cool on a hot day and a pretty site. You
can combine this with Xunantunich, El Pilar,
Canoe trip to San Ignacio or Tropical Wings.
Interested in this
tour? See our rates,
or include this tour in one of our packages.
Cahal Pech: the temples above the valley
Cahal Pech is a major Maya centre located
on a hill overlooking the town of San Ignacio.
The name of the site is a combination of
Yucatec and Mopan Maya meaning "Place
of Ticks", a name given to the site
in the 1950s when the area around it was
used for pasture.
Preliminary analysis of data recovered
from excavations indicate that Cahal Pech
was settled by 1000 B.C. and abandoned around
800 A.D. The discovery of several large,
Late Preclassic (300 B.C. - 250 A.D.) temples
directly beneath Middle Classic (500 - 700
A.D.) modifications also suggests that these
were the periods of greatest development
at the site.
The central precinct of Cahal Pech is situated
on an imposing acropolis on the west bank
of the Macal River, with a panoramic view
of San Ignacio town and the Belize River
Valley. The site centre consists of 34 structures
compacted in a small area covering slightly
more than 2 acres. The majority of these
structures are located around 7 courtyards
and include temple pyramids and several
long-range, residential-type buildings.
The tallest temple is Structure A-1 which
stands 77 feet high. The site also contains
2 ball courts,
5 plain stelae, an altar and possibly a
sweat-house.
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In 1969 a small salvage operation, following
looting at the site, concentrated on a royal
tomb within a large temple (Str. B-1) in
the central plaza (Plaza B). Here a Late
Classic (600 -700 A.D.) ruler had been laid
to rest with a number of ornate jade objects,
obsidian blades, shell and bone ornaments
plus several pottery vessels. The most magnificent
find was a jade and shell mosaic mask which
probably formed the centre piece of an elaborate
belt worn by the noble interred in the grave.
The artifacts recovered from the tomb may
still be seen in the National Collection
at Belmopan.
Although work at Cahal Pech is still at
a preliminary stage, visitors can experience
the full range of archaeological investigations
of a Maya centre. The site is also within
a beautiful jungle-type environment which
is the home for many colorful birds and
exotic plants. This dramatic contrast between
the town and the jungle, which are in such
close proximity, makes Cahal Pech a unique
place to visit. In only a few minutes walk
a person
leaves the hustle and bustle of present-day
San Ignacio and enters an atmosphere where
life remains in its natural state and ancient
monuments become silent testimony of
a vigorous civilization that once was.
Interested
in this tour? See our rates,
or include this tour in one of our packages.
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