What role did the colonizing spaniards play in the long process of understanding the maya?

Despite their role in the conquest, colonization and exploitation of Indian peoples in Mesoamerica,  Spanish officials, priests and travelers are one of the most important sources of knowledge about the old cultures of the pre-Hispanic era. They wrote chronicles and history books and other documents describing Mayan codices, architectural works, hieroglyphs and some customs and even Mayan legends or myths.

Explanation:

most of the knowledge we have of the conflict comes from roman-jewish scholar titus flavius josephus, who first fought in the revolt against the romans, but was then kept by future emperor vespasian as a slave and interpreter.

a mogul empire was disbanded