The so-called “Tulli Papyrus” is an enigmatic text that some describe as the first written account of a UFO sighting. This Egyptian text records an event which supposedly occurred during the 18th dynasty, around 1480 BCE. So, the real question about the Tulli Papyrus is: Could this be proof of alien existence?

The “Tulli Papyrus” Goes Viral

Ancient Egypt is known for many things, such as its incredibly rich and ancient culture, its marvelous civilization, but also for its very mysterious deities and some of the most peculiar tales of the ancient world. One such strange and little-known story is of an ancient Egyptian document called “The Tulli Papyrus.” Rather than being a typical Egyptian papyrus, the Tulli Papyrus is a text that describes in great detail a huge UFO sighting that supposedly occurred in ancient Egypt during the reign of Thutmose III.

The text remained forgotten for centuries before it would resurface during the 1930s. During a visit to Cairo in 1933, Alberto Tulli (from whom the text took its name), a director of the Egyptian section of the Vatican museum, allegedly discovered an interesting papyrus in an antique shop. Tulli thought that the papyrus was way too expensive to buy it, so instead, he made a copy of the original piece, which was then recopied, replacing the original hieratic script with hieroglyphs; a fact that makes doubters challenge its authenticity.

Example of hieratic writing. Exercise tablet with hieratic excerpt from ‘The Instructions of Amenemhat’. Dynasty XVIII, reign of AmenH๏τep I, c. 1514–1493 BC. (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Nevertheless, Alberto Tulli and his alleged papyrus became a hit within UFO-related folklore. And many ufologists use it as an undeniable source of alien existence. It is considered to be one of the earliest known records of a fleet of flying saucers written on papyrus.

Even though the papyrus was severely damaged and contained several gaps, a determined Prince Boris de Rachewiltz managed to translate it and declared that the papyrus was part of the annals of Thutmose III. There’s an unfortunate detail in this story though: nothing in the ancient text refers to the Pharaoh by name, a fact that makes things even more suspicious and complicated.

A copy of the Tulli Papyrus using hieroglyphics.

Translations of the Tulli Papyrus

Here is a translation provided by Prince Boris de Rachewiltz:

In the year 22, third 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 (Though) it had no head, the breadth of its mouth (had) a foul odor. Its body was 1 rod long (about 150 feet) and 1 rod large, It had no voice… Their hearts became confused through it; then they laid themselves on their bellies. They went to the King…?) to report it. His Majesty ordered has been examined as to all which is written in the papyrus-rolls of the House Of Life His Majesty was meditating upon what happened. Now, after some days had pᴀssed over these things, Lo! they were more numerous than anything. They were shining in the sky more than the sun to the limits of the four supports of heaven. Powerful was the position of the fire circles. The army of the king looked on and His Majesty was in the midst of it. It was after supper. Thereupon, they (i.e. the fire circles) went up higher directed to South. Fishes and volatiles fell down from the sky. (It was) a marvel never occurred since the foundation of this Land! caused His Majesty to be brought incense to pacify the hearth, what happened in the book of the House of Life to be remembered for the Eternity.