Editing Cahal Pech (section)

{{Short description|Maya site in the Cayo District of Belize}}
{{Infobox ancient site
| name           = Cahal Pech
| alternate_name = 
| image          = Cahal_Pech_Jul_10_2015_49.jpg
| image_size     = 250px
| alt            = 
| caption        = 
| map            = Cahal_Pech_Site_Map.png
| map_type       = Mesoamerica#Belize
| map_alt        = 
| map_caption    = Location within [[Mesoamerica]]##Location within Belize
| map_size       = 
| iso_region     = 
| relief         = 1
| map_dot_label  = 
| coordinates    = 
| location       = [[San Ignacio, Belize|San Ignacio]],&nbsp;[[Cayo District]],&nbsp;[[Belize]]
| region         = [[Cayo District]]
| built          = 1200 BCE
| abandoned      = 900 CE
| epochs         = [[Classic]]
| cultures       = [[Maya people|Maya]]
| event          = 
| excavations    = 1988 - 2000
| archaeologists = [[Jaime Awe]]
National Institute of Archaeology (NICH)
| architectural_styles = [[Classic]]
| architectural_details =

| notes          = 
Responsible body: Belize Department of Archaeology

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| precolumbian = yes <!-- non-functional tracking parameter, do not remove/change -->
}}
'''Cahal Pech''' is a [[Maya civilization|Maya]] site located near the town of [[San Ignacio Cayo|San Ignacio]] in the [[Cayo District]] of [[Belize]]. The site was a palatial, hilltop home for an elite [[Maya people|Maya]] family, and though the most major construction dates to the [[Maya Classic Era|Classic]] period, evidence of continuous habitation has been dated to as far back as 1200 BCE during the Early Middle Formative period (Early Middle [[Preclassic Maya|Preclassic]]), making Cahal Pech one of the oldest recognizably [[Maya sites]] in Western [[Belize]].<ref>Awe ''et al.'' (1990)</ref><ref>Awe (2000)</ref>