Without the ability to read ancient Chinese and Maya text, we would be limited to archeological findings and guesses made based on them. The fact, that we can read ancient texts, let us know for example:
the names and times of rule of many rulers, the religious practices some events from the past some cultural and technological inventions such as their knowledge of astronomy the social composition of the society
Our knowledge of urban live comes from the description of customs and occational information about who lived where and how much was paid for what services
