In the 1990s, archeologists in Mexico City unearthed a 500-year-old skeleton near an ancient Aztec temple - a victim of human sacrifice. Perhaps even more chilling was what the beheaded skeleton was holding: two small whistles, one in the shape of a skull. When a researcher blew into one of the tiny instruments, the horrifying sounds that emerged immediately captivated imaginations. One scholar described the noise as a shriek of death. The dreadful, high-pitched sound of the whistle is perhaps most comparable to a human scream. The true purpose of these artifacts has baffled experts. Were they used to terrorize enemies in warfare? Were they used to induce trances as part of healing rituals? Perhaps they were used in the ritual of human sacrifice? Nobody knows. This is the limited edition glazed version of this mug design.