For decades, the image of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) has been tied to the 1950s “flying saucer” craze, with reports flooding in from the United States, Canada, Australia, and the Nordic countries. Since the National UFO Reporting Center began tracking sightings in 1974, over 104,947 incidents have been documented, including historical accounts dating back to the early 20th century (Monfort, 2017).
While many modern sightings are attributed to airplanes, satellites, comets, or even fireworks—spiking annually around the Fourth of July in the U.S.—the phenomenon of UFOs stretches far beyond the modern era. Ancient civilizations, from Egypt to Rome to Japan, recorded encounters with mysterious objects in the sky, events that defy easy explanation and hint at a timeless fascination with the unknown.
Ancient Egypt: Circles of Fire in the Sky
One of the earliest recorded UFO sightings comes from ancient Egypt, dated to 1440 BC during the reign of Pharaoh Thutmose III (1504–1450 BC). The account, preserved in the controversial Tulli Papyrus, describes a remarkable event witnessed by royal scribes. The document, now lost and known only through copies, was discovered by Alberto Tulli, former director of the Vatican Museum, during a trip to Cairo. It recounts:
“In the year 22, of the 3rd month of winter, sixth hour of the day… the scribes of the House of Life found it was a circle of fire that was coming in the sky…. It had no head, the breath of its mouth had a foul odor. Its body one rod long and one rod wide. It had no voice…. Now after some days had passed, these things became more numerous in the sky than ever. They shone more in the sky than the brightness of the sun, and extended to the limits of the four supports of the heavens…. Powerful was the position of the fire circles.” (Fontaine, 1985)
The scribes, shaken by the sight, reported it to the Pharaoh, who ordered an investigation and documentation in the annals of the House of Life. The description of “circles of fire” that outshone the sun and moved in the sky is strikingly unlike any known natural phenomenon of the time. However, the Tulli Papyrus remains contentious due to its loss and lack of corroborating sources, leaving open the possibility of transcription or translation errors.
Roman Skies: Shields, Ships, and Flying Stones
While Egyptian hieroglyphics often cited as evidence of UFOs are easily debunked, the Romans provided more substantial accounts. Reputable historians like Pliny the Elder, Livy, and Plutarch recorded sightings with meticulous care, as Roman authorities required rigorous verification before events could be entered into official records. These accounts, spanning centuries, describe objects that resemble modern UFO reports:
218 BC: “A spectacle of ships (navium) gleamed in the sky.”
217 BC: “At Arpi, round shields (parmas) were seen in the sky.”
212 BC: “At Reate a huge stone (saxum) was seen flying about.”
173 BC: “At Lanuvium a spectacle of a great fleet was said to have been seen in the sky.”
100 BC: “A round shield (clipeus), burning and emitting sparks, ran across the sky from west to east, at sunset.” (Stothers, 2007)
These descriptions of shields, ships, and stones moving through the sky could suggest meteorites or comets, but their consistent and varied nature across centuries hints at something more complex. The Romans’ precise language and avoidance of speculative interpretation lend credibility to their observations, even if their true nature remains unclear.
Japan’s First UFO Investigation
The first known official investigation into a UFO-like phenomenon occurred in Japan in 1235. General Yoritsume and his army observed mysterious lights performing extraordinary maneuvers—circling and looping in the night sky. Perplexed, Yoritsume ordered a scientific inquiry. His advisors, perhaps eager to reassure, concluded that the lights were merely “the wind making the stars sway” (Maloney, 2011). While this explanation may seem dismissive today, it reflects an early attempt to rationalize the unexplainable, a practice that continues in modern UFO studies.
What Were These Ancient Phenomena?
The accounts from ancient Egypt, Rome, and Japan are undeniably genuine in that they reflect what people witnessed and recorded. Yet, without physical evidence or modern context, determining their nature remains elusive. NASA scientist Richard Stothers, in his analysis of classical UFO reports, notes the “extraordinary persistence and consistency” of these phenomena across centuries (Stothers, 2007). Whether they were natural atmospheric events, misinterpretations of celestial bodies, or something truly otherworldly, these sightings left a profound impact on those who witnessed them.
Ancient observers, lacking the scientific framework of today, used the best descriptive language available to them. Their accounts, preserved in papyrus, annals, and oral traditions, reveal a shared human impulse to document the inexplicable. Modern explanations—ranging from psychological phenomena to atmospheric effects to extraterrestrial possibilities—cannot fully account for the enduring mystery. What is clear is that UFOs, or phenomena resembling them, have captivated humanity for millennia, shaping our curiosity and challenging our understanding of the cosmos.