Final answer:
The data from early archaeologists may have been misleading because their focus was exclusively on the elite parts of Teotihuacán, possibly leading to incorrect conclusions about the city-wide impact of the fires.
Step-by-step explanation:
The early archaeologists' data might have been misleading because they only looked at specific areas of the city of Teotihuacán, namely the palaces and temples associated with the elite upper class. This could have skewed their interpretation, making them more likely to conclude that the observed fire damage was the result of an invasion and destruction on a city-wide scale rather than a selective event, such as an internal uprising. Further archaeological research that includes broader sections of the site may yield more representative data, contributing to our understanding of Teotihuacán's complex history and the true cause of the fires during the decline of this influential Mesoamerican city.