Cahal Pech
Mayan Ruin Site in Belize

Departure: anytime between 8:00 am and 2:00 pm
Drive time: 20 minutes

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.

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.

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.

See our Photo Gallery for more images, or watch our Cahal Pech Slideshow