Ancient Aztec death whistle had a terrifying effect on the human brain. ... the neural and perceptual responses highlight universal patterns in how humans process startling and aversive sounds, ...

In digging up ancient Aztec graves dating from the years 1250 to 1521 AD, archaeologists have found many examples of small whistles made of clay and formed into the shape of a skull. These ...

The 3D reconstruction of Tenochtitlán, the capital of the Aztec Empire, and today, Mexico City. All images courtesy of Thomas Kole.