A massive processional route paved with thousands of obsidian flakes has been identified at the ancient Toltec capital of Tula. The path leads from the city's main plaza to a remote hilltop shrine. Researchers suggest this route was used specifically for the 'Wind-Whisper' festivals, where the sharp obsidian would have hummed or whistled as the wind passed over it.
This unique acoustic feature suggests that Toltec ceremonies were designed as immersive sensory experiences. By mapping the path, archaeologists are uncovering the logistics of how thousands of participants would have moved through the sacred landscape to propitiate the deities of the air and sky.