The subjugation of such an advanced society required a systematic destruction of its books and archives, partly to demoralise a potentially potent military foe, but also to eradicate the worship of what the Spanish identified as false gods. Poring over these multicoloured scrolls of deerskin or screenfold panoramas inscribed on tree bark, Spanish suspicions were exacerbated by the fact that Aztec writing used a pictographic system, easily denounced as witchcraft. Only the Mayans had a recognisably alphabetical system of writing.

Andrew Pettegree, Arthur der Weduwen, The Library- A Fragile Hist…, loc. 368