Ranging from a threatening hiss to a blood-curdling scream, the sound of the Aztec death whistle is as creepy as the skull-like appearance of the instrument that produces it. Brain scans suggest ...

Numerous Aztec skull-shaped whistles have been found in tombs dating from the period between 1250 and 1521 AD, with many preserved in archaeological collections worldwide. It is presumed that the ...

For their acoustic analysis, Frühholz et al. obtained sound recordings from two Aztec skull whistles excavated from Tlatelolco, as well as from three noise whistles (part of Aztec fire snake ...

Aztec Death Whistles, or Skull Whistles, are a type of unusual musical instrument found in grave sites dating from 1250 to 1521 AD. Their unusual skull-like shape baffled archaeologists for years ...

“Death whistles,” or Aztec skull whistles, were short, carved instruments made of two opposing chambers where air could clash and create a “ screeching sound,” according to a Nov. 19 news ...

For instance, some experts believe the death whistles were intended to mimic the razor-sharp winds of Mictlan, the Aztec underworld to which sacrificial tributes were believed to descend. Others ...

Aztec “skull whistles” found in ancient gravesites were designed to produce shrieking sounds and instil “otherworldly” fear even in modern people, scientists say. Archaeologists have uncovered several ...

The skull-shaped body of the Aztec death whistle may represent Mictlantecuhtli, the Aztec Lord of the Underworld. (Bild: Sascha Frühholz, UZH) view more Credit: Sascha Frühholz ...