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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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Neanderthals have been commonly found to suffer from ear problems. Source: Kovalenko I / Adobe Stock

16 August, 2019 - 22:58 Alicia McDermott

Half of Neanderthal Population Suffered from Surfer’s Ear!

A new study suggests that Neanderthals commonly suffered from “swimmer's ear” or “surfer’s ear” - dense bony growths that protrude into the ear canal. This is usually caused by a habitual exposure to...

The Huarmey Queen reconstruction and Wari artifacts from her tomb.

15 August, 2019 - 20:23 Alicia McDermott

Huarmey Queen: Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous in Ancient Peru

The Huarmey Queen is the name given to the 1200-year-old remains of a Wari woman found in a rich tomb in Peru. She has been a subject of interest since her lavish mausoleum was discovered six years...

The Abora IV, based on the ancient Egyptian reed boat

10 August, 2019 - 16:43 Alicia McDermott

Golden Varna Plate Linked To Daring Sea Voyage Between Black Sea and Egypt 7,000 Years Ago

There’s an odd-looking design on an ancient ceramic vessel that was found in Varna, Bulgaria that one expert believes is linked to another kind of vessel – a woven, seafaring kind. Many years ago,...

Example of a typical Valdivia ceramic figurine. (Alicia McDermott)

26 July, 2019 - 01:22 Alicia McDermott

Curious Ceramics: Traces of Mysterious Pre-Hispanic Culture Emerge in Ecuador

Archaeologists working at the pre-Hispanic site of Real Alto near the coast of Ecuador have discovered the remnants of a mysterious culture dating to the earliest stages of inhabitation in the...

Closeup of glyphs on a Mayan calendar. Credit: zimmytws / Adobe Stock

21 July, 2019 - 15:03 Alicia McDermott

Artificial Intelligence Inching Closer to Deciphering Long Lost Languages

With new technology available to us, we’re inching closer to the end of the days when deciphering ancient languages is a painstaking task filled with frustration and confusion. Nifty machines...

Area 51 sign on a road with dramatic lighting. Source: fergregory /Adobe Stock

13 July, 2019 - 19:04 Alicia McDermott

660,000 Sign Up to Take Area 51 By Storm and ‘See Them Aliens’

As of today, there are almost 660,000 people who’ve signed up to attend a Facebook event on September 20. What’s all the fuss about? They are (mostly) joking about a proposed “plan” to get inside the...

Representative image of a Denisovan. Several studies have recently explored the spread of Denisovan genes. Source: ginettigino /Adobe Stock

11 July, 2019 - 15:44 Alicia McDermott

March of the Denisovans: Evidence of Archaic Human Gene Now Detected In the Orient

The Denisovan story keeps evolving. This group of ancient hominins has been something of a mystery ever since they were first discovered in 2010 as an extinct sister group to the Neanderthals. Bits...

The well-preserved, brightly colored fresco of Saint Alexis and Christ the Pilgrim. Source: ABC

3 July, 2019 - 15:38 Alicia McDermott

Fresh Light Illuminates Brilliant Medieval Fresco Incarcerated For Centuries in Rome

A letter from 1965 alerted a curious historian to the existence of an interesting painting that was hidden in one of Rome’s many churches. Her discovery of the medieval fresco was a huge...

Representation of a Neanderthal. A new study of Neanderthal DNA tells the story of their migrations between Europe and Siberia. Source: procy_ab /Adobe Stock

27 June, 2019 - 19:05 Alicia McDermott

DNA Study Suggests Early Neanderthals Had Europe As Their Homebase

The Neanderthal story began around 430,000 years ago and (mostly) ended with their demise about 40,000 years ago . They left their mark in Europe and central Asia and on the genes of many people...

Summer solstice Utah sunrise. Source: Heath /Adobe Stock

21 June, 2019 - 22:23 Alicia McDermott

6 Spectacular Summer Solstice Celebrations Around the World

With the sun shining high, the summer solstice, aka the longest day of the year, is a day for celebration for many people around the world. For people living north of the equator, Friday, June 21 is...

The lead sarcophagus found in Granada, Spain is believed to come from the Roman period. Source: Granada Hoy

20 June, 2019 - 20:54 Alicia McDermott

Discovery of Lead Sarcophagus Surprises Spanish Archaeologists

Spanish archaeologists working in the downtown of Granada were going about routine excavations in a historic building in preparation for underground work at the site. With centuries of documented...

14 June, 2019 - 21:49 Alicia McDermott

Puma Punku: This Ancient Andean Site Keeps Everyone Guessing

Puma Punku is a Pre-Columbian archaeological site in Bolivia that is steeped in wonder and mystery. The architecture found in the ruins astounds archaeologists and historians and has inspired...

Must Farm was only inhabited for about a year before burning away

12 June, 2019 - 10:59 Alicia McDermott

Must Farm: Britain's Pompeii Reveals Burning Bronze Age Secrets

Dubbed ‘Britain’s Pompeii,’ Must Farm is an amazingly well-preserved Bronze Age site in Cambridgeshire, England. The 3,000-year-old site has made international archaeology news headlines time and...

31 May, 2019 - 11:27 Alicia McDermott

Ancient Feces Reveal Parasites Plagued 9,000-Year-Old City of Catalhoyuk

Garbage dumps are always exciting places for archaeologists. They often tell us the stories that are hidden or seen as unimportant to share with future generations, but these tales provide...

Runes close-up. The Swedish government is considering a ban on the runes and some ancient Norse symbols. Source: Pshenichka /Adobe

23 May, 2019 - 19:15 Alicia McDermott

Claims Viking Symbols and Runes May Be Banned – The Fuller Picture

This week reports emerged claiming that depictions of the runes and Norse symbols such as Thor’s hammer may soon be banned in Sweden. Hate groups have been using many of these symbols for years and...

Gheorghe Tattarescu’s ‘Nemesis.’ / Theater of Mytilene, Lesbos.

17 May, 2019 - 22:12 Alicia McDermott

Temple of Nemesis Found Under A Greek Theater. And Here is Why

The Greek goddess Nemesis dealt out retribution against people who were arrogant before the gods, had received undeserved good fortune, or who had committed certain evil deeds. That’s why the...