Ancient Aztec death whistle still terrifies people today, study finds — and you can listen if you’re brave enough By Ben Cost Published Nov. 19, 2024, 10:22 a.m. ET ...

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 ...

Ritual Aztec whistles produced a brain-scrambling "scream," according to a new study. The objects were used during human sacrifices and may have prepared victims for their supposed descent to ...

Aztec communities may therefore have used the scary sounds in specific ritual contexts, such as ceremonies involving death. "Skull whistles might have been used to scare the human sacrifice or the ...