Hear the Aztec 'Death Whistle' That Mystified Scientists

Gizmodo ^ | Rose Pastore

[BenLurkin]

In the 1990s, archeologists in Mexico City unearthed a 500-year-old skeleton near an ancient Aztec temple—a victim of human sacrifice. A grisly discovery, yes, but perhaps even more chilling was what the beheaded skeleton was holding: two small whistles, one in the shape of a skull. When a researcher blew into one of the tiny instruments, the horrifying sounds that emerged immediately captivated imaginations. One scholar described the noise as “a shriek of death.”

The dreadful, high-pitched sound of the whistle is perhaps most comparable to a human scream. “There are different air streams generated within the structure of these instruments, which then diametrically hits against each other,” said Arnd Adje Both, a music archeologist who has examined the whistle. “And thus the Aztecs were able to produce a very shrill and noisy sound.”

[onedoug]

Wow! A whistle. Those Aztecs must have been really sophisticated.

Thank God Cortez destroyed that whole enterprise.

[Fai Mao]

You can’t make this stuff up

[GMMC0987]

Sounds like something from the movie “Bone Tomahawk”.

[bgill]

Used to bring about a calming trance? I think not.

[Sarcasm Factory]

What would you bet that pro-life protestors could drive baby-killing leftists insane with hate by blowing excellent copies of these death-scream whistles outside of abortion clinics run by “Planned Parenthood”? I scent a commercial opportunity for selling to moral demonstrators, women who want a very noisy rape whistle for daily carry, and the usual gaggle of immature pranksters.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Bet the victim would have rather had the PF Flyers instead of just the whistle when they came for him.

[Caipirabob]

That is so messed up. Self editing the rest of my post but yes, I agree that Cortez got one thing right.

[PGR88]

Indeed. The Spanish didn’t conquer the Aztecs, they saved them.

Its also a documented fact that at least 10 million indigenous people’s converted to Christianity in the 15 years after the Aztecs were destroyed.

It would be an obvious choice - gods who demanded your random, painful death to appease the social system and elites of society, compared to a God who came for the lowest members of society, and to save all souls with mercy and love.

[Obadiah]

Well said.

[Carpe Cerevisi]

[piasa]

Not as sophisticated as modern America- which sacrifices hundreds of babies a day to Dick, the god of convenience, and Zelfiz, the goddess of gratification.

[onedoug]

Very sadly true.

[Caipirabob]

#11 - Bwaaahahahaaa!!!!

[kabar]

The true purpose of these artifacts has baffled experts. Were they used to terrorize enemies in warfare? Aztec warriors were known to beat wooden drums as they advanced into battle—might they also have blown these ghastly whistles? “You can imagine the frightening sound if you had 200 or 300 or 5,000 warriors blowing these instruments,” said Jaime Arredondo, an art historian and professor of Mesoamerican and Latino studies at New York University. “That would be extremely intimidating.”

Similar to bagpipes?

[DouglasKC]

Sounds like something from the movie “Bone Tomahawk”.

Wasn't that a great movie? The same director also made "Brawl in Cellblock 99"...another great flick.

[IrishBrigade]

‘compared to a God who came for the lowest members of society, and to save all souls with mercy and love.’

the remnants of the Canaanites are no doubt pleased to hear that...

[Zhang Fei]

[Wasn’t that a great movie? The same director also made “Brawl in Cellblock 99”...another great flick. ]

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Vince Vaughn is unrecognizable in the publicity poster. Will check out.

[fulltlt]

Sounds like a whizzer the Mexicans put in the tailpipe of their cars.

[ecomcon]

Real Aztec: “You’re not doing it right”.