Conversation so far:
Why was the Maya civilization being investigated?
The agents of the Catholic Church wrote detailed accounts of the Maya, in support of their efforts at evangelization, and absorption of the Maya into the Spanish Empire.
Was there anything bad that caused the investigation as well as the Catholic Church writing detailed accounts in support of their efforts at evangelization?
This was followed by various Spanish priests and colonial officials who left descriptions of ruins they visited in Yucatán and Central America

Question: How did people perceive the Maya civilization to be?
Self-contained rewrite: How did people perceive the Maya civilization to be?