Cahal Pech Mayan Temple
Cahal Pech “Place of Ticks” 22.39 acres
Cahal Pech is located on an imposing hill that overlooks the twin towns of San Ignacio/Santa Elena. The name of the site means “Place of Ticks” in the Yucatecan Maya language. This name was coined in the 1950’s when the area around the site was used for pasture.
Cahal Pech is located on an imposing hill that overlooks the twin towns of San Ignacio/Santa Elena. The name of the site means “Place of Ticks” in the Yucatecan Maya language. This name was coined in the 1950’s when the area around the site was used for pasture.
Location
The site rests high above the banks of the Macal River and is strategically located to overlook the confluence of the Macal River and the Mopan River. The site is a collection of 34 structures, with the tallest temple being about 25 meters in height, situated around a central acropolis. The site was abandoned in the 9th century CE for unknown reasons.
The site rests high above the banks of the Macal River and is strategically located to overlook the confluence of the Macal River and the Mopan River. The site is a collection of 34 structures, with the tallest temple being about 25 meters in height, situated around a central acropolis. The site was abandoned in the 9th century CE for unknown reasons.
Archaeological Information
The earliest pottery in western Belize has been found at Cahal Pech. In 1950, Linton Satterthwaite from the University of Pennsylvania Museum visited the site, and conducted the first investigations. Under the oversight of Gordon Willey, Peter Schmidt, Joseph Ball and Jennifer Taschek, other archaeologists worked on the site.
It was not until 1988 that Dr. Jaime Awe, examined the site chronology more, under the support of the Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance. Archaeological investigations indicate that Cahal Pech was first settled sometime around 1,200 B.C. and abandoned around 800 -900 A.D.
The site is particularly important for the information it has provided on the earliest Maya settlers of western Belize. Early cultural remains, for example, suggest that the site’s first inhabitants were relatively sophisticated. They built large circular plat-forms that were used for ceremonial purposes, they carved many Meso-American or Olmec-like symbols on their pottery, imported jade and obsidian from Guatemala, modeled many figurines in the form of female individuals, and produced decorative beads that were made from Conch shells brought from the Caribbean coast.
Cahal Pech supported a substantial population from the Middle Preclassic to the Late Classic period. It is estimated that during the Late Classic period (between 10,000–15,000), people lived in the city. The rest of the valley was also densely populated during this time, and residents of Cahal Pech undoubtedly traded and communicated with their neighbours in nearby cities such as Xunantunich, Baking Pot, El Pilar and Buena Vista.
The earliest pottery in western Belize has been found at Cahal Pech. In 1950, Linton Satterthwaite from the University of Pennsylvania Museum visited the site, and conducted the first investigations. Under the oversight of Gordon Willey, Peter Schmidt, Joseph Ball and Jennifer Taschek, other archaeologists worked on the site.
It was not until 1988 that Dr. Jaime Awe, examined the site chronology more, under the support of the Belize Valley Archaeological Reconnaissance. Archaeological investigations indicate that Cahal Pech was first settled sometime around 1,200 B.C. and abandoned around 800 -900 A.D.
The site is particularly important for the information it has provided on the earliest Maya settlers of western Belize. Early cultural remains, for example, suggest that the site’s first inhabitants were relatively sophisticated. They built large circular plat-forms that were used for ceremonial purposes, they carved many Meso-American or Olmec-like symbols on their pottery, imported jade and obsidian from Guatemala, modeled many figurines in the form of female individuals, and produced decorative beads that were made from Conch shells brought from the Caribbean coast.
Cahal Pech supported a substantial population from the Middle Preclassic to the Late Classic period. It is estimated that during the Late Classic period (between 10,000–15,000), people lived in the city. The rest of the valley was also densely populated during this time, and residents of Cahal Pech undoubtedly traded and communicated with their neighbours in nearby cities such as Xunantunich, Baking Pot, El Pilar and Buena Vista.
Cahal Pech is a Maya site located near the town of San Ignacio in the Cayo District of Belize. It was designed to be a hilltop home for an elite Maya family. It dates back to the Classic period, where evidence is shown that continuous habitation dates back as far as 1,200 BCE, during the Early Middle Preclassic period. Cahal Pech one of the oldest recognizably Maya sites in Western Belize.
Information gathered, suggests that ceramic-using populations may have been in place as early as ca. 1,200 B.C.E. While these complexes, termed "Cunil" at Cahal Pech and "Kanocha" at Blackman Eddy, remain to be broadly documented across the Belize River Valley, they are the earliest established ceramic technologies recorded in western Belize."
During the first archaeological study (in the 1950's), it is now considered an archaeological reserve, and houses a small museum with artifacts from various ongoing excavations. The primary excavation of the site began in 1988. Restoration was completed in 2000 under the leadership of Dr. Jaime Awe, Director of the National Institute of Archaeology (NICH), Belize.
During the first archaeological study (in the 1950's), it is now considered an archaeological reserve, and houses a small museum with artifacts from various ongoing excavations. The primary excavation of the site began in 1988. Restoration was completed in 2000 under the leadership of Dr. Jaime Awe, Director of the National Institute of Archaeology (NICH), Belize.
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Directions
In the town of San Ignacio, take the road that leads to the San Ignacio Resort Hotel and keep going down that road until you come to a roundabout. Access the left intersection that leads you to a road going uphill. At the top of this you will encounter the Cahal Pech Archaeological Reserve and its visitor center. |
Opening Hours
365 days in the year from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Fees & Reservations
Belizeans: BZD$5.00 Non-Belizeans: BZD$10.00 Belizeans enter FREE on Sundays and Public and Bank Holidays School, Church and Government Groups need to contact the IA office for official Pass to visit this site. |
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