- Aztec Death Whistle dubbed “scariest sound worldwide”
- Replicated using 3D printing by courageous experts
- Used in sacrificial ceremonies, possibly warfare
Certain noises, from a wolf howl to a bloodcurdling scream, can send a shiver down the spine of even the most courageous horror movie enthusiast.
However, these terrifying sounds are nothing compared to a single sound dubbed the “scariest in the world.
Experts have described the Aztec Death Whistle as a combination of “the scream of a thousand corpses” and an eerie gust of whistling wind.
It was believed that the Aztecs used it during sacrificial ceremonies to pay homage to the deity of wind, Ehecatl.
Therefore, are you sufficiently courageous to attend to it?
Courageous experts recently replicated the sound of the Aztec Death Whistle by constructing a new version of the legendary instrument using a 3D printer.
In the late 1990s, they created their new whistles by incorporating the skull-shaped original design discovered in Mexico with a skeleton.
The Action Lab, an educational YouTube channel specializing in conducting scientific experiments, uploaded a video of the 3D-printed whistle.
James J. Orgill, the presenter, has declared that this is the most terrifying sound in the universe.
“Contrary to popular belief, this is not a human scream.”
The death whistle’s sound inherently instills fear in your heart.
During the 1999 excavation of an Aztec temple in Mexico City, the original Aztec Death Whistle was discovered in the palm of a headless skeleton.
Orgill states in the video that archaeologists initially assumed this was a trinket and did not consider it much.
It was not until 15 years later that a scientist, for an unknown cause, blew into the hole at the top of the structure, resulting in the following sound.
‘It was a startling revelation because it sounded like a living human screaming.’
Although the precise purpose of the death whistle has been lost to history, numerous leading hypotheses exist.
According to specific experts, the Aztecs may have employed noise during their sacrifice to facilitate the journey of the deceased’s spirits to the afterlife.
The device was interred with the original skeleton as a protective measure to frighten away evil spirits as they transitioned from this world.
However, Orgill asserts that combatants may have employed the whistles to “incite fear in the enemies” before combat began.
According to the expert, the whistle’s form is reminiscent of the human larynx.
Upon the user blowing into the device, the air is divided into two, resulting in oscillating sound waves that travel throughout a vast chamber before exiting through a secondary opening.
Some whistles contain a cork ball within the chamber, which distorts the sound as it darts around.
In the video, Orgill evaluates contemporary renditions of the Aztec Death Whistle manufactured with a 3D printer from HeyGears, a United States company.
The sounds they emit depend on the size of the object and the precise location on the lips where they are inserted when blown into.
Death trumpets, made of various materials, including resin, ceramics, and carbon fiber, are currently available on Amazon.
As stated in a product description on Amazon, they “emit a scream that sounds like a woman being in terrible agony” and are “ideal for Halloween.”
They are also valuable props for dramatic productions, such as when characters hear a shriek from off-stage.
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Orgill asserts that simulating a shriek has a more pronounced impact when the whistle is not observed being blown.
“This is likely because your brain knows it is a whistle.”
Archaeologists were initially intrigued by the Aztec Death Whistle’s skull shape; however, it was only recently that their terrifying cacophony was examined.
Quijas Yxayotl, a Mexican musician, believes that the death trumpet was employed in warfare and for special ceremonies, such as the Day of the Dead.
He stated, “They played over a hundred instruments; a hundred death whistles marching to cause a strong psychological effect on the enemy.”
