Cahal Pech

Cahal Pech sits on the crest of a steep hill approximately 900 feet above sea level, providing a commanding view of the Maya Mountains to the south, and the fertile valley of the Belize River to the northeast. The site is one of the earliest signs of Mayan settlement in this region, and is located by San Ignacio. When Cahal Pech was discovered is unknown, the first published record of the site dates to the late 1930’s however, the first archaeological investigations of the site began in the 1950s. Cahal Pech means “Place of the tick” and archaeologists have found evidence that this was an important trading area for the Mayas as early as 1200 B.C.