Late-night stroll turns into a bone-chilling fright as mysterious Aztec death whistle echoes in the garden

Venturing into the garden after dark is an unsettling experience on its own, but for one unsuspecting individual, a late-night dog walk turned into a spine-chilling escapade. The hair-raising incident unfolded as a doorbell camera captured a ghastly sound, echoing through the stillness of the night, prompting an immediate retreat indoors – both for the human and their four-legged companion.

The eerie footage, shared by an X account, depicts a lone figure standing in their backyard when a nightmarish shriek, reminiscent of an Aztec Death Whistle, slices through the tranquillity. The startling noise leaves no room for hesitation, and as expected, a swift retreat is made indoors – a reaction anyone would find themselves making.

But what could have produced such a bone-chilling sound? Speculations point towards the possibility of an Aztec Death Whistle, or at least a contemporary reproduction. According to historical accounts, the Aztec Death Whistle first emerged in 1999, discovered in the clutches of a skeleton during an Aztec temple excavation. The body cradled two skull-shaped instruments, believed to be a nod to Mictlantecuhtli, the Aztec god of the underworld.

In a YouTube revelation by James J. Orgill, who experimented with a 3-D printed version of the whistle, archaeologists initially dismissed it as a mere ‘toy.’ It wasn’t until 15 years later that a scientist, for some unknown reason, blew into the top hole, unveiling the spine-chilling sound that ensued.

Contrary to common belief, the purpose behind Aztecs using these whistles remains shrouded in mystery. Music archaeologist Arnd Adje Both, delving into the peculiar instruments, conducted CT scans on original whistles, creating replicas that yielded a softer sound compared to larger modern reproductions. Both speculates that these ‘air spring’ instruments might have symbolically guided individuals to the afterlife, given the connection between the god of wind and the god of the underworld in Aztec beliefs.

Addressing the notion that Aztecs deployed these whistles to terrify enemies in battle, historical accounts by Spanish friar Tomás de Torquemada describe an Aztec general carrying a drum and others blowing large shell trumpets at the onset of a battle. However, Both labels this theory a ‘possibility,’ asserting that no excavated individual classified as an Aztec warrior has been found with such an instrument around their neck to date.

As for the unsettling shriek caught on camera, some speculate it could be a natural source, perhaps an animal such as a mountain lion or fox, adding another layer of mystery to this peculiar night encounter.