The ayoyotes, ''ayoyotl'', aztec jingles or huesos de fraile, are an
idiophone
An idiophone is any musical instrument that creates sound primarily by the vibration of the instrument itself, without the use of air flow (as with aerophones), strings (chordophones), membranes (membranophones) or electricity ( electroph ...
percussion instrument of the Aztecs. It consists of a set of hard shells from the ayoyote or chachayote (''chachayotl'') tree of
Thevetia genus,
fixed to skin or cloth pieces in order to be tied to the ankles or wrists of the dancer or musician. Its sound is similar to that of the rain. This idiophone is used in
concheros dance.
References
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* Stevenson, Robert (1968): ''Music in Aztec and Inca Territory ''.
Idiophones
Mexican musical instruments