The so-called Aztec “death whistle” is an instrument distinguished by producing a chilling sound, comparable to a person’s blood-curdling scream, and has been the subject of study for its possible ritual uses and psychological effects on listeners. A recent analysis by the University of Zurich has revealed that these whistles can trigger an intense response in the human brain, suggesting that the ancient Aztecs might have intentionally used this effect during ceremonies and sacrifice rituals.

The body of these whistles is decorated with a skull shape that could represent Mictlantecuhtli, the Aztec god of the underworld. Mictlantecuhtli ruled Mictlan, the place where the souls of the dead resided according to Aztec mythology. The visual connection of the whistle to this god and the chilling sound it produces may have been symbolic elements facilitating the spiritual transition of those sacrificed.

In the Aztec worldview, sacrificial rituals played a crucial role in maintaining cosmic balance, and it was believed that sacrificed souls needed to pass through the underworld. The sound produced by these whistles may have helped ritual participants to emotionally connect with the spiritual dimension of Mictlan, preparing them for the journey to the beyond.

aztec death whistles
Another specimen of Aztec death whistle. Credit: Claudia Orbroki / UZH

Researchers at the University of Zurich, led by Professor Sascha Frühholz, used 3D digital reconstructions of original Aztec whistles preserved in the Ethnological Museum of Berlin. They discovered that the internal structure of these whistles is unique: it has two opposing sound chambers that generate air turbulence, responsible for the characteristic high-pitched, piercing sound.

This design is not found in other musical instruments of pre-Columbian cultures or in known historical or contemporary contexts, which supports the idea that the Aztec death whistle was developed with a specific purpose and carefully designed to provoke an emotional response.

Through recordings of sounds from original whistles and handmade replicas, listeners described these sounds as disturbing and terrifying. The tone of the whistle resembles a human scream, causing an instinctive reaction of alertness or fear in those who hear it. This unique quality of the Aztec whistles aligns with the tradition in various ancient cultures of mimicking natural and human sounds in their musical instruments, which may have served to give a ritual dimension to the sound of these whistles by imitating mythological beings or forces of nature.

Reproduction of sounds emitted by the whistles of death.. Crédito: University of Zurich

During the study, the team played the sound of the whistle while monitoring the brain activity of listeners. Brain areas involved in affective processing showed strong activation, confirming the disturbing impact of these sounds. Additionally, brain areas related to symbolic association were also activated, suggesting that the whistle’s sound not only provokes a basic emotional reaction but also triggers a more complex symbolic processing in the brain. In other words, the Aztec whistle sound not only induces a fear reaction but invites a mythical and cultural interpretation, merging a basic psychological response with a deep meaning interpretation.

Music and sounds have always played an important emotional role in human cultures, both in ancient and contemporary times. The Aztec community seemed to understand how specific sounds could affect their listeners and used this knowledge in ritual and ceremonial contexts.

While it is clearly impossible to conduct psychological or neurological experiments on people from the Aztec era, modern studies show that basic affective responses to terrifying sounds are universal in humans. This suggests that the effect of the Aztec death whistles on people at that time would have been similar to what we experience today.

SOURCES

Universität Zürich

Frühholz S, Rodriguez P, Bonard M, Steiner F, Bobin M (2024), Psychoacoustic and archeoacoustic nature of ancient Aztec skull whistles. Communications Psychology. 11 November 2024. DOI:doi.org/10.1038/s44271-024-00157-7

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