Scientists have recreated the sound of the Aztec death whistle (5 photos + 2 videos)

Listen to “the scariest sound in the world”! Scientists have recreated an Aztec death whistle using 3D printing. The original skull-shaped whistle was found in the hand of a skeleton during excavations at an Aztec temple in Mexico City. It is believed that the sound of such a whistle accompanied human sacrifices.





Educational YouTube channel The Action Lab, dedicated to scientific experiments, has published a new video that talks about the legendary Aztec death whistle, while demonstrating the 3D printed whistle and how it sounds.

The instrument is based on an original skull-shaped whistle found during excavations.

It is believed that people blew such whistles in ceremonies in honor of the wind god Eecatl, and then they were sacrificed to pacify the deity.

In the Aztec creation myth, two gods gathered at a sacrificial fire and became the Sun and Moon, but remained motionless until Eecatl blew on them.

Aztec wind god Eecatl



The death whistle could be used for ritual ceremonies or to intimidate enemies. It has been described as a cross between an eerie gust of whistling wind and the scream of a thousand dead.

“It was considered the most terrifying sound in the world,” says channel host James J. Orgill. “Believe it or not, this is not a human cry.” The sound that death whistle makes strikes fear in your heart.”

The original death whistle was found in the hand of a headless skeleton during excavations of an Aztec temple in Mexico City in 1999.



"The archaeologists initially thought it must be some kind of toy and didn't think much of it," Orgill says. “It was only 15 years later that someone blew into the hole at the top, and this sound came from there. It was a startling discovery because it sounded like a human scream."

Although the exact purpose of the death whistle is lost to history, there are several leading theories. Some experts believe the Aztecs likely used this sound to help guide people's souls to the afterlife when they were being sacrificed.

It is possible that the original skeleton was buried with the device as protection to ward off evil spirits. Whistles may also have been used by warriors to "strike fear into the hearts of their enemies" at the start of battle, Orgill argues.

According to the expert, the shape of the whistle imitates the shape of the human larynx.

When blown into it, the air splits in two, creating oscillating sound waves that circulate through a large chamber before exiting a second hole.

Some whistles have a ball inside the chamber, often made of cork, that bounces around and further distorts the sound.

In the video, Orgill tests modern versions of the Aztec death whistle, made using a 3D printer from the American company HeyGears. They make different sounds depending on how large the object is and where exactly they are on the lips when blown.



Amazon already sells death whistle replicas made from a variety of materials, such as epoxy resin, ceramic, and even carbon fiber. According to one product's description on Amazon, they "scream like a woman in terrible agony" and are "perfect for Halloween." They can also be useful for dramatic settings - for example, for depicting scenes in which characters hear a scream from somewhere in the distance.

Spectrogram of sound waves of a death whistle making a sound similar to a zombie screech



"For some reason, the effect of the scream is stronger when you don't see the person blowing the whistle," Orgill says. “Probably because your brain knows it’s a whistle.”

Mexican musician Quijas Ichayotl believes that the death whistle was used for special ceremonies, including the Day of the Dead, as well as during battles.

“Imagine blowing more than a hundred of these whistles at once and the psychological effect that would have on the enemy,” he says.