Man makes his own "Aztec Death Whistle" and tests it on his family with disturbing results

[frauenfelder]

Originally published at: Man makes his own "Aztec Death Whistle" and tests it on his family with disturbing results | Boing Boing

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[potentato]

Link to video?

[theophrastus]

(and it is rather disconcerting. so yes, volume waay down)

The Scariest Sound In The World

[Dachshund_lover]

Well, crap! That is amazing (…ly bad)!

[Akimbo_NOT]

Halloween must be right around the corner.

[RickMycroft]

Car horn in 3… 2… 1…

[jerwin]

I recall seeing a Time Team, in which the archeologists test some sort of dragon standard that created a strange, poitentially horrifying noise when swung though the air. But I don’t recall more details.

[milliefink]

I could see having that bedside, in case a burglar breaks in.

[Otherbrother]

@frauenfelder

the death whistle was originally thought to be a toy until scientists realized that blowing into it produces a chilling, scream-like tone.

What will future archaeologists make of our Vuvuzelas, I wonder?

[Loudmouth]

That Aztec whistle has an uncanny result.

So do these much, much more pleasant Inca whistle jars:

Inca whistle jar doing animal sounds

In search of more pleasant whistle sounds, my go to whistle is the warbling bird whistle, which my cat refers to as the unsuspecting warbler of death:

Warbling Whistles Are Weird

[Loudmouth]

I see you can buy one on Amazon. It could function as a decoy sound that enables you to sucker punch an intruder. Etsy has the Inca whistle jars, which are less than 10x the cost of the death whistles.

[PipRLagenta]

Research into the “Aztec Death Whistle” was fictionalized into an episode of The Twilight Zone:

Kate Bush - Experiment IV - Official Music Video

[knoxblox]

So, my search for its purpose remains unsolved.

Aztec death whistle

[Otherbrother]

@knoxblox

So, my search for its purpose remains unsolved.

Yeah, a little humility about what we do and don’t know abot these kind of objects is always good. Archaeologists have made bold claims in the past that became widely accepted for years before being disproven.

Reminds me of a King of the Hill episode where Hank finds an artifact in his backyard that he assumed was a weapon until John Redcorn explains that it’s just a tool.

King of the Hill - Hank Asks John Redcorn About Tool

[Bonivus_elderheart]

Reminds me of this gag:

Human archaeologist: Amazing, this artifact is almost 1000 years old! Can we imagine all the things it has seen in such a long time?
Elf, who donated it to the rummage sale: OK, first of all…

Or this one:
Human archaeologist, excavating a midden: Can you believe it? These pot shards date back to the Zekfaral Dynasty, and I believe if reassembled would reveal lost information about the ancient legends of the great contest…
Elf, grabbing a broom: STOPP DIGGING THROUGH MY TRASH

Or (finally) this one:
Human archaeologist: This belongs in a museum!
Elf: IT BELONGS IN MY CHINA CUPBOARD. THAT IS MY FAVORITE MUG.

[Bonivus_elderheart]

That having been said, I also 3d printed one of those whistles, and it’s just the right tone and volume to annoy everyone in a 100 yard radius.

[DukeTrout]

@Otherbrother

What will future archaeologists make of our Vuvuzelas, I wonder?

“These instruments were carried into ritualized combat by regional populations to frighten opposing warriors who challenged each other with round balls in groups of 11.”

[Tamsin_Bailey]

This sounds scarier than anything you’d hear at the football.

The ancient Celtic Carnyx.

[tijtij]

I’m pretty sure there is a guy who drives through my neighborhood that has one these whistles hooked up to his turbo

[DukeTrout]

Sorry about that!