What happened to many Mayan codices following the Spanish conquest?

• A. They were copied by scribes and widely circulated.
• B. They were preserved in royal archives.
• C. They were kept safe in volcanic caves.
• D. They were largely destroyed or lost.

Answer: (D)

After the Spanish conquest, most Mayan codices were destroyed or lost, reflecting how indigenous writing was suppressed during colonization. Spanish missionaries and colonial authorities viewed these books as pagan or dangerous, and many were burned in efforts to Christianize and eradicate Maya religious practices. The destruction was so extensive that only a few codices survived, often because they were hidden, saved by Maya scribes, or taken abroad by collectors. The famous burnings, such as those led by Diego de Landa in the 1560s, illustrate why the fate of these codices was largely one of loss. A small number did endure, which is why we know of the few that survived, but the vast majority did not.