Many ancient cultures used musical instruments in ritual ceremonies. Ancient Aztec communities from the pre-Columbian period of Mesoamerica had a rich mythological codex that was also part of ...

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 ...

These promising finds came from an expedition at the Templo Mayor, a once heavily significant temple at the heart of Aztec culture in ancient capital city Tenochtitlan. Once, the temple may have ...

Archaeology 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 ...

Amazon “Real Screaming Aztec Death Whistle By ITZCOEHUA,” also available on Amazon, reportedly emits the “Loudest Authentic Human Sounding Screams,” at 125-plus decibels. Amazon ...

More information: Sascha Frühholz et al, Psychoacoustic and Archeoacoustic nature of ancient Aztec skull whistles, Communications Psychology (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s44271-024-00157-7 ...