In the 1990s, a headless skeleton carrying two very unique objects, one in each hand, was found in the ruins of the Quetzalcoatl temple (Mexico City). The objects in question appeared to be whistles, and represented human skulls. The corpse was considered the victim of a ritual sacrifice and the two whistles, part of the rite.
The most curious thing about the case is that scientists did not test the sound of whistles until fifteen years later. The result was surprising. From the bowels of the object emerged a shrill, plaintive sound, something similar to a human cry of anguish. The discovery only heightened the mystery surrounding the whistles, which became known as Aztec “death whistles.”
What function did they have? Was it merely ritual, or did they have other meanings? Beyond these questions, scientists wanted to know why its sound was so disturbing. Today we talk to you about the Aztec “death whistles” and their effect on the human brain.
The so-called Aztec “death whistles” are small objects, about 5 cm. high, generally made with clay and configured by a complex network of cavities that ensure that, when friction, the air comes out through the hole in a unique way.
If blown strongly, the high speed of the air, spread through the different recesses, distorts the sound and makes it seem like an enigmatic human lament. This information, together with the representation of the body of the whistle as if it were a skull and the location of the objects (in ritual burials), made scholars think that Aztec whistles were related to death.
In fact, the original name of the whistle is Ehecachichtlia Nahuatl term that combines the names of the god of the wind (Ehécatl) and the god of death (Mictlantecuhtli). According to Mexica mythology, in the fifth level of Mictlán, the underworld, terrible and deadly winds blow. so the wind is closely related to the realm of the dead.
Sacred rituals, war, funerary trousseau…?
However, this did not answer the main question: what function did Aztec whistles have? His relationship with death seemed assured; Not in vain, they were found in tombs, and let us remember that on the outside they represented a human skull.
Now, were these objects related to sacred rituals, or simply a funerary element that accompanied the deceased? The fact that the first “death whistle” was found in the hand of a decapitated skeleton buried in a temple corroborates the idea that they were related to sacred rituals. possibly linked to the god of death and his kingdom, the fearsome Mictlán, battered by winds and storms.
There is, however, another theory. Since the sound made by the whistle resembles a human scream, it is possible that the ancient Aztecs used them in war to intimidate the enemy. In this sense, it would be an obvious “psychological war”; Let’s imagine an army that, in the middle of the jungle, begins to hear hundreds of screams that don’t know where they come from…
Why does the Aztec “whistle of death” cause such concern?
From this last theory it follows that the sound of the “death whistles” induces the brain into a state of fear or, at the very least, stupor. In fact, It has been proven how the strange lament that emerges from these objects can have psychedelic effects and exert a terrible suggestion on our mind. But why?
An interdisciplinary team from the Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit (University of Zurich) and the Department of Psychology at the University of Oslo decided to investigate why the sound of these whistles is so disturbing for the human brain. To this end, they recruited several volunteers and divided them into two groups. They were all exposed to the sound of the Aztec whistle, and the reaction of their brains was carefully studied.
What impressed the researchers most was observing that the “scream” that emerged from the objects produced a multitude of negative emotional responses in the volunteers, in addition to increasing the neuronal activity of the auditory cortex. Those who participated in the experiment described the sound as “scary,” among other negative adjectives, and were visibly affected by their hearing.
Half human, half machine
What caused this concern in the volunteers? The recorded neural activity confirmed that the brain was highly confused by not knowing the exact nature of the sound. And the “scream” of the Aztec whistle is perceived by the organ as half natural, half artificial, which confuses the mind, which desperately struggles to understand where it comes from.
This ambiguity has an enormous impact on the emotionality of the listener, who “suffers” while his brain tries to detect the origin and nature of the sound. And all this, despite the fact that, consciously, the person knows perfectly well that it is the sound of a whistle.
But there is still more. The similarity that the sound has with a human scream (specifically, that of a woman, due to its high pitch) links it to the primitive emotion of fear, capable of altering us to unsuspected extremes. His perception as half human, half machine ends up confusing the brain: is it a fellow human being who is screaming? Should we flee from the supposed danger? But is what he screams human…?
In any case, it is necessary to take into account that, to carry out the study, 3D printed reproductions were used, which can distort the original sound. In any case, the impact that the Aztec “death whistles” have on our brain is undeniable, something that the ancient Mexica undoubtedly knew.
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This article has been reviewed by our editorial team at PsychologyFor to ensure accuracy, clarity, and adherence to evidence-based research. The content is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice.
