Making a Double Whistle of Yaxchilan


Clay Frog of Yaxchilan

Roberto Velázquez Cabrera

Virtual Research Institute Tlapitzcalzin



First version, February 4, 2003.Last version July 10, 2003.

Its ancient way of making is unknown. However, after the analysis of the ancient whistles, experimentation with a wide set of clay replicas and the test of several ways of making, it was found the best procedure to produce similar loud sounds to the frogs of Yaxchilan. As the ancient whistles produce beats, the volume of the resonating chambers must be different.

Construction procedure:

Frog call (.wav)


* This replica was made for my friend Uli Wahl, expert on aeolian instruments, because he liked it very much. The replica was sent to him as a gift for his collection at Weinheim, Germany. He told me that the frog went to his last meeting at France where it was wecomed. He sent me some photos, including the following:


Photo of Uli and his clay frog in the meeting of "Aeolists" in Berck-Sur-Mer, at the Atlantic Coast, at the Channel, situated between England and France on April 15, 2003. Uli, his frog and friends from the meeting are in other photo.


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