Listen to the ‘world’s scariest sound’: Scientists recreate the sound of the Aztec death whistle that may have accompanied human sacrifices

It has been described as the “scariest sound in the world” – somewhere between an eerie whistling gust of wind and the “scream of a thousand corpses”.

Now experts have recreated the sound of the Aztec death whistle by using a 3D printer to build a new version of the legendary instrument.

They created their new pipes based on the design of the skull-shaped original, which was found along with a skeleton in Mexico in the late 1990s.

It is believed that the skull-shaped pipe may have been used by Aztecs before they were killed in ceremonies honoring the wind god Ehecatl.

In the Aztec creation myth, two gods gathered in a sacrificial fire and became the sun and moon, but remained motionless until Ehecatl blew on them.

A new video of the 3D printed whistle was posted by Action Lab, an educational YouTube channel dedicated to conducting science experiments.

“This is considered the most terrifying sound in the world,” says presenter James J. Orgill.

“Believe it or not, that’s not a human scream.”

“The sound made by the death whistle inherently strikes fear in your heart.”

In 1999, during an excavation of an Aztec temple in Mexico City, the original Aztec death pipe was found in the hand of a headless skeleton.

“Archaeologists first thought it must be some kind of toy, but they didn’t think much about it,” Orgill says in the new video.

“It wasn’t until 15 years later that a scientist for some reason blew into the hole at the top and this sound came out.”

“It was a startling discovery because it sounded like a person screaming.”

Although the exact purpose of the death whistle is no longer known in history, there are several leading theories.

Some experts believe that the Aztecs probably used the noise to ease the journey to the afterlife for people’s souls when they were sacrificed.

Now people can buy their own death whistle on Amazon, made from a variety of materials like resin, ceramic, and even carbon fiber

In 1999, during an excavation of an Aztec temple in Mexico City, the original Aztec death pipe was found in the hand of a skeleton

Spectrogram of the sound waves of the death whistle, which sounds like a screaming zombie

Perhaps the original skeleton was buried with the device as protection to scare away evil spirits when they left this world.

Orgill claims that the pipes could also have been used by warriors to “scare the enemy” at the start of battle.

The shape of the whistle mimics the shape of a human larynx, the expert said.

Once the user blows into it, the air is split in two, creating oscillating sound waves that circulate in a large chamber before escaping through a second hole.

Some pipes have a ball in the chamber, often made of cork, that bounces around and further distorts the sound.

During the video, Orgill tests modern versions of the Aztec death whistle, made using a 3D printer from US company HeyGears.

They produce different sounds depending on how big the object is and where exactly they are placed on the lips when blown on.

On Amazon, people can already buy their own death whistles made from various materials such as resin, ceramic, and even carbon fiber.

According to an Amazon product description, they “emit a scream that sounds like a woman in terrible agony” and are “perfect for Halloween.”

They are also a helpful prop for dramatic productions – for example, scenes in which the characters hear a scream backstage.

It is believed that the death whistles are related to Ehecatl, the god of wind. He is usually depicted with two masks through which the wind blew, and his temple was cylindrical because the wind blows in all directions. Pictured is a statue in the Brooklyn Museum (New York City).

“For some reason, the effect of making it sound like a scream is stronger when you don’t actually watch the person blow the whistle,” says Orgill.

‘[This is] probably because your brain knows it’s a whistle.’

The Aztec death whistle caught the attention of archaeologists because of its skull shape, but its terrifying sound has only recently been studied.

Mexican musician Quijas Yxayotl believes that the death whistle was used in special ceremonies such as the Day of the Dead and in warfare.

“They played over a hundred instruments; “A hundred death whistles march out to create a great psychological effect on the enemy,” he said.