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Alicia McDermott

Alicia McDermott holds degrees in Anthropology, Psychology, and International Development Studies and has worked in various fields such as education, anthropology, and tourism. She is the Chief Editor of Ancient Origins Magazine. Traveling throughout Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador, Alicia has focused much of her research on Andean cultures – past and present.

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Head of one of the sacrificed llamas. Note the colorful tassels on its ears. Image: L.M. Valdez /Antiquity Publications Ltd

22 October, 2020 - 00:00 Alicia McDermott

First Naturally Mummified Inka Llama Sacrifices Found!

Archaeologists working in Peru have unearthed the first known naturally mummified remains of Inka llama sacrifices. The animals are exceptionally well-preserved and still bear the decorations that...

19 October, 2020 - 22:01 Alicia McDermott

Take an Eye-Opening Journey into the Past: Top 10 Historical TV Series

Ancient history and some of its famous faces have inspired countless TV series over recent years, ranging from drama and action, to fantasy and sci-fi. We all know that “based on actual events” or “...

17 October, 2020 - 17:29 Alicia McDermott

Catastrophic Collapse: When Historic Good Governments Turned Bad

A new anthropological study provides a strong message about what happens when social contracts are broken by a previously good government – the government and the society collapses – hard...

17 October, 2020 - 00:54 Alicia McDermott

Intricacy and Reflection: Transforming Mandalas from Sacred Designs to Art Therapy

Although the word ‘Mandala’ simply means “circle” or “discoid object” in Sanskrit, the significance is far more complex. Traditionally, mandalas represented the intricacy of the universe and served...

Early humans took detours to pleasant environments on their prehistoric route to Europe. Source: Kovalenko I / Adobe Stock

16 October, 2020 - 00:43 Alicia McDermott

Humans Took Pleasant Detours on the Prehistoric Route to Europe

New research shows that the environment is a key factor in mapping the prehistoric routes that humans took when they headed out of Africa towards Europe. More favorable climates enticed Homo sapiens...

2 October, 2020 - 01:02 Alicia McDermott

5,000-Year-Old Masked Figurine Found in Siberian Mass Grave

Archaeologists have discovered a strange little masked figurine in Siberia. It was found upon the shoulder of a woman who was buried face down in a mass grave 5,000 years ago. The whole scenario has...

29 September, 2020 - 14:05 Alicia McDermott

Tilapia Stew: Egyptian Recipe Found in 6000-year-old Stomach

This recipe is based on an archaeological discovery made in an upper Egypt tomb dating to around 3500 to 4000 BC. Differing from a typical mummy, which would have had its organs in canopic jars, the...

Ancient history podcasts bring the past to the present

27 September, 2020 - 17:59 Alicia McDermott

The Top Ten Ancient History Podcasts You May Not Have Heard

There are podcasts on every subject these days. Even the ancient world has been brought into the modern one through this medium. If you are looking for another way to learn about the past, check out...

27 September, 2020 - 10:09 Alicia McDermott

Who Reached America First? Hint: NOT Columbus!

Even today, many people still believe that Christopher Columbus was the person who “discovered” America when he landed there in 1492. That belief overlooks the fact that indigenous people had already...

20 September, 2020 - 00:23 Alicia McDermott

Eat Like a Viking: Ancient Gruel Was Tastier Than it Sounds!

Gruel . Indecipherable grey mush slopped on a plate? Not necessarily! Viking food was simple but that was just the beginning. Porridge and gruel made from whole or cracked grains were popular meals...

Scientists have found the world’s oldest sperm cells. Source: bluebay2014 /Adobe Stock

17 September, 2020 - 00:51 Alicia McDermott

World’s Oldest Sperm Cells Found Trapped in Amber

Paleontologists working in Myanmar have found the oldest sperm cells in the world. They were trapped in amber 100 million years ago, have been described as ‘giant,’ and come from a mussel-like...

Reconstruction of the wine press at Tell el-Burak, looking from the south-east. Source: Tell el-Burak Archaeological Project; drawing by O.Bruderer; Antiquity

15 September, 2020 - 00:00 Alicia McDermott

7th Century Press is a Major Discovery for the History of Phoenician Wine

The Phoenicians were paramount in the spread of wine throughout the Mediterranean region, which is why it is odd that there is strikingly little archaeological evidence of wine production in...

4 September, 2020 - 01:52 Alicia McDermott

Bombshell Study Calls Astronomical Theories of the Nebra Sky Disk “Obsolete”

Until today, the Nebra Sky Disk was known as the oldest concrete depiction of cosmic phenomena worldwide. Scholars believed it was a 3,600-year-old artifact depicting a sun or full moon, a lunar...

Bronze Age death rituals sometimes included curated remains, such as this skeleton that was buried with skulls and long bones of three people who had died much earlier. Source: Tees Archaeology / Antiquity Publications Ltd

1 September, 2020 - 00:05 Alicia McDermott

Bronze Age Death Rituals Included Curating Remains Of Predecessors

No two people deal with death in exactly the same way. Both on the individual and societal level we have to face the inevitable. These days many people turn to their religious, scientific, or...

Left) A grave from Osłonki with valuable artifacts, visible near the hands; right) a drawing of the artifacts. Source: Peter Bogucki

3 August, 2020 - 23:59 Alicia McDermott

Neolithic Wealth Gap Wasn’t Just for the Living

An international team of archaeologists in Poland have been working to answer a very interesting question. Were the people buried with rich grave goods necessarily as wealthy in life as they were in...

The arrival of humans helped Ice Age foxes. Source: DragoNika / Adobe Stock

23 July, 2020 - 23:15 Alicia McDermott

Ice Age Foxes Feasted On Our Reindeer Meat Leftovers

A study into the dietary habits of Ice Age foxes is showing German scientists the impact humans had on the ecosystem in that region 40,000 years ago. They believe that tracking what those small...