Within EgyptUFOs
Was the Tulli Papyrus a Real UFO Record?
Examines the authenticity, chain of custody, and scholarly debate surrounding the Tulli Papyrus and other ancient UFO-related claims.
On this page
- Historical context and discovery claims
- Debates over authenticity and translation
- Impact on UFO mythology
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Introduction
The so-called Tulli Papyrus is one of the most famous ancient “UFO” stories connected to Egypt. It is often presented as a 3,500-year-old eyewitness report describing fiery discs in the sky during the reign of Pharaoh Thutmose III. In UFO literature, the story is treated as possible evidence that ancient Egyptians witnessed extraterrestrial craft. In mainstream Egyptology and historical scholarship, however, the case is regarded as deeply unreliable and possibly fraudulent.
The central problem is simple: no verified original papyrus has ever been produced for examination. The story survives only through modern retellings, disputed transcriptions and secondary translations. That missing chain of custody has made the Tulli Papyrus less important as evidence of an ancient aerial phenomenon than as a case study in how modern UFO mythology grows around fragmentary and poorly sourced material. [2catchpenny.org]catchpenny.orgThe Tulli PapyrusThe so-called Tulli Papyrus is oft cited as evidence of visitations to Egypt by "ancient astronauts;" indeed, any mentio…
How the Tulli Papyrus story entered UFO culture
The story usually begins with Alberto Tulli, a former director associated with the Vatican Museums’ Egyptian section. According to later accounts, Tulli allegedly saw an ancient papyrus in a Cairo antiques shop during the 1930s. Because the document was supposedly too expensive to buy, he is said to have copied the text instead. The original papyrus then disappeared from view. [Vocal]vocal.mediaThe Tulli Papyrus | HistoryVocalThe Tulli Papyrus | History - Vocal MediaIt is believed to be an account of a massive UFO encounter that took place during the reign… Wikipedia The account entered wider circulation through Fortean and UFO writers rather than through archaeological publication. A major early source wa [Wikipedia]WikipediaTulli PapyrusNovember 21, 2025 —… Vatican Museums, suspected that "Tulli was taken in and that the papyrus is a fake". Samuel Rosenberg, in his 196… s Tiffany Thayer’s 1953 article in the Fortean Society magazine Doubt, which relied on material attributed to Boris de Rachewiltz, an Egyptologist and writer connected to esoteric and alternative-history circles. [voynich.fandom.com]voynich.fandom.comTulli Papyrus | Voynich manuscript WikiFandomAccording to Thayer, the transcription was sent to him by Boris de Rachewiltz who supposedly found the original transcription of th…
The translated narrative became famous because of its striking imagery. In most versions, Egyptian scribes report “circles of fire” or fiery discs appearing in the sky, growing in number and brightness, then moving southward before “fish and fowl” supposedly fell from the sky. UFO writers later framed this as an ancient flying-saucer encounter.
The problem is that every stage of transmission is uncertain:
- The original papyrus was never publicly archived.
- No verified photograph of the artefact exists.
- The text survives through copied transcriptions.
- Later versions differ in wording and interpretation.
- The account bypassed normal Egyptological publication channels.
That combination would already make historians cautious even if the story were less sensational.
Why historians and Egyptologists doubt the document
The strongest criticism of the Tulli Papyrus is not that the reported event sounds impossible. It is that the evidence trail is extraordinarily weak.
The original document cannot be examined
The absence of the original artefact is the core issue. Without the papyrus itself, researchers cannot test the ink, fibres, dating, handwriting style or archaeological provenance. Those are basic requirements for authenticating ancient Egyptian documents.
Attempts to trace the document produced little confidence. Investigators associated with the 1968 Condon Report — the US Air Force-sponsored study of UFOs led by physicist Edward Condon — contacted the Vatican regarding the papyrus. The response from Vatican official Gianfranco Nolli reportedly stated that the “Papyrus Tulli” was not Vatican property and was “dispersed and no more traceable”. [Anomalien.com]anomalien.comUF Os in ancient Egypt?The Mystery of the Tulli PapyrusFeb 20, 2021 — “Papyrus Tulli not propriety [sic] of Vatican Museum. Now it is dispersed and no more trac… 3Wikipedia 3catchpenny.org(#endnote-2 “Snippet: The Tulli PapyrusThe [vocal.media]vocal.mediaThe Tulli Papyrus | HistoryVocalThe Tulli Papyrus | History - Vocal MediaIt is believed to be an account of a massive UFO encounter that took place during the reign… so-called Tulli Papyrus is oft cited as evidence of visitations to Egypt by ‘ancient astronauts;’ indeed, any mentio…”)
That reply did not authenticate the papyrus. If anything, it reinforced doubts about whether a verifiable document had ever existed in the form later described by UFO writers.
The text may have been assembled or altered
Critics have also argued that the surviving wording resembles modern literary construction more than authentic Egyptian administrative writing. Some researchers connected to the Condon Report suspected the text may have borrowed imagery from biblical and apocalyptic traditions, including passages from Ezekiel. [Wikipedia]WikipediaTulli PapyrusNovember 21, 2025 —… Vatican Museums, suspected that "Tulli was taken in and that the papyrus is a fake". Samuel Rosenberg, in his 196…
Another issue is linguistic inconsistency. Egyptologists who examined the available transcriptions noted awkward phrasing and uncertainties about how the hieroglyphic text was reconstructed. Since the surviving versions are already modern copies of alleged copies, it is difficult to determine where translation ends and creative rewriting begins.
This creates a circular evidence problem:
- UFO authors cite the translation as evidence.
- The translation depends on a missing source.
- The missing source cannot be independently checked.
- Therefore the translation itself cannot be securely trusted.
For historians, that is usually enough to classify a document as doubtful.
No archaeological provenance exists
Authentic Egyptian texts normally have discoverable context: excavation records, ownership history, museum registration, photographs or publication history.
[Tulli Papyrus]WikipediaNovember 21, 2025 —… Vatican Museums, suspected that "Tulli was taken in and that the papyrus is a fake". Samuel Rosenberg, in his 196… yrus lacks all of these.
There is no excavation site, no catalogue number, no peer-reviewed publication history and no accepted chain of custody. The alleged antiques-shop origin is itself problematic because undocumented antiquities markets were historically full of forgeries, altered artefacts and misattributed objects.
In archaeology, provenance matters almost as much as the object itself. A spectacular claim without provenance is usually treated with suspicion.
The translation problem: what did the text supposedly say?
The most widely circulated translation describes a fiery circular object appearing in the sky during the reign of Thutmose III, around the fifteenth century BCE. Later versions expanded the story into multiple discs brighter than the sun. Some retellings even add dramatic details such as military observation and royal offerings.
But there is no single definitive translation.
Different versions use different language:
- “Circles of fire”
- “Fiery discs”
- “Shining objects”
- “Flaming wheels”
That inconsistency matters because translation choices heavily influence interpretation. Ancient Egyptian texts often use symbolic, religious or metaphorical imagery. Terms associated with celestial omens, comets, meteors or divine manifestations can become exaggerated when translated through a modern UFO framework.
The surviving Tulli material is therefore doubly unstable:
- the source document is missing;
- the wording itself is fluid.
This is one reason mainstream historians avoid treating the text as a reliable ancient observation.
Could the account describe a real sky event?
Even if the text were authentic, that still would not automatically support an extraterrestrial explanation.
Ancient civilisations frequently recorded unusual sky phenomena:
- meteors,
- comets,
- eclipses,
- atmospheric optics,
- bolides,
- auroral displays,
- and symbolic celestial omens.
Ancient Egyptian religion also linked the sky with divine power, kingship and cosmic disorder. Strange celestial events could therefore acquire dramatic theological interpretation.
Several natural explanations have been suggested for the imagery associated with the Tulli account:
- A meteor procession or bolide event.
- A comet with atmospheric effects.
- Symbolic religious literature later misunderstood literally.
- A transcription blending several older texts together.
- A modern hoax designed to resemble an ancient omen narrative.
Because the source is unavailable, none of these possibilities can be tested decisively.
The wider pattern of “ancient Egyptian UFO evidence”
The Tulli Papyrus rarely appears alone. It is usually grouped with other Egyptian claims presented as evidence of advanced ancient technology or extraterrestrial contact. The most famous example is the so-called “helicopter hieroglyphs” at Abydos.
The Abydos “helicopter” and pareidolia
At the Temple of Seti I in Abydos, overlapping inscriptions create shapes that modern viewers sometimes interpret as helicopters, submarines or aircraft. The effect became widely circulated in ancient-astronaut media and internet UFO culture. [Egypt Museum]egypt-museum.comHelicopter Hieroglyphs… Abydos are not depictions of futuristic machines, but the result of a palimpsest. This explanation may upset th…
Egyptologists explain the effect as a palimpsest: one royal inscription carved over another. Over centuries, plaster and stone erosion exposed parts of both texts simultaneously, producing accidental composite shapes. [Madain Project]madainproject.comHelicopter HieroglyphsThe so-called helicopter-hieroglyph, a palimpsest relief, is a result two overlapping inscriptions, the titles of R…
This explanation is strongly supported by the known history of Egyptian temple reuse and recarving practices. The “helicopter” shape emerges only when fragments of two inscriptions visually overlap. It is an example of pareidolia — the human tendency to see meaningful modern forms in ambiguous patterns. [Egypt Museum]egypt-museum.comHelicopter Hieroglyphs… Abydos are not depictions of futuristic machines, but the result of a palimpsest. This explanation may upset th…
The comparison matters because the Tulli Papyrus operates in a similar cultural space: [vocal.media]vocal.mediaThe Tulli Papyrus | HistoryVocalThe Tulli Papyrus | History - Vocal MediaIt is believed to be an account of a massive UFO encounter that took place during the reign…
- ambiguous evidence,
- dramatic interpretation,
- modern projection onto ancient material,
- and repeated circulation through fringe media.
Why the Tulli Papyrus became so influential anyway
The Tulli story survived because it combines several elements that strongly appeal to UFO mythology.
Ancient Egypt already carries an aura of mystery
Egypt’s monuments, hieroglyphs and tomb culture create a ready-made setting for speculative narratives. The pyramids and temples already feel technologically impressive to modern audiences, making extraterrestrial interpretations emotionally persuasive even when evidence is weak.
The story sounds unusually modern
Descriptions of “discs” or luminous aerial objects resemble twentieth-century flying-saucer language. That familiarity helped later UFO writers treat the account as a direct historical parallel to modern sightings.
Missing evidence can fuel mythology
Ironically, the absence of the original papyrus increased its mystique. Lost documents are difficult to disprove completely, which allows speculation to continue indefinitely. In UFO culture, inaccessible evidence often acquires legendary status because uncertainty leaves room for belief.
Repetition created perceived legitimacy
The Tulli Papyrus became widely cited through repeated appearance in books, documentaries and online articles. Over time, repetition created the impression of authenticity. Yet many later sources simply quoted earlier UFO literature rather than returning to primary evidence. The Condon Report specifically criticised this pattern of secondary-source recycling in ancient UFO claims. [Wikipedia]WikipediaHelicopter hieroglyphsHelicopter hieroglyphs
What the Tulli Papyrus actually demonstrates
The most defensible conclusion is cautious but clear: the Tulli Papyrus is not reliable evidence for extraterrestrial visitation in ancient Egypt.
That does not necessarily prove deliberate fraud. Several possibilities remain open:
- an authentic text later distorted through retelling,
- a mistranslated transcription,
- a modern fabrication,
- or a mixture of genuine Egyptian imagery with later embellishment.
But the evidence quality is too poor for stronger claims.
What makes the case historically important is not its value as proof of UFOs, but its role in showing how ancient mysteries become modern mythology. The Tulli Papyrus sits at the intersection of archaeology, popular culture, esoteric speculation and media repetition. Within the broader Egyptian UFO narrative, it remains one of the clearest examples of how weak documentation can evolve into a globally recognised paranormal legend.
Amazon book picks
Further Reading
Books and field guides related to Was the Tulli Papyrus a Real UFO Record?. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.
Wonders in the Sky
Directly relates to ancient and premodern sky-event claims like the Tulli Papyrus.
A Terrible Mistake
Critically examines questionable ancient-alien evidence and source chains.
Chariots of the gods?
Helped create the cultural environment in which the Tulli Papyrus became famous.
Endnotes
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: Tulli Papyrus
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulli_PapyrusSource snippet
November 21, 2025 —... Vatican Museums, suspected that "Tulli was taken in and that the papyrus is a fake". Samuel Rosenberg, in his 196...
Published: November 21, 2025
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Source: catchpenny.org
Link: https://www.catchpenny.org/tulli.htmlSource snippet
The Tulli PapyrusThe so-called Tulli Papyrus is oft cited as evidence of visitations to Egypt by "ancient astronauts;" indeed, any mentio...
-
Source: vocal.media
Title: The Tulli Papyrus | History
Link: https://vocal.media/history/the-tulli-papyrusSource snippet
VocalThe Tulli Papyrus | History - Vocal MediaIt is believed to be an account of a massive UFO encounter that took place during the reign...
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Source: voynich.fandom.com
Title: Tulli Papyrus | Voynich manuscript Wiki
Link: https://voynich.fandom.com/wiki/Tulli_PapyrusSource snippet
FandomAccording to Thayer, the transcription was sent to him by Boris de Rachewiltz who supposedly found the original transcription of th...
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Source: anomalien.com
Title: UF Os in ancient Egypt?
Link: https://anomalien.com/ufos-in-ancient-egypt-the-mystery-of-the-tulli-papyrus/Source snippet
The Mystery of the Tulli PapyrusFeb 20, 2021 — “Papyrus Tulli not propriety [sic] of Vatican Museum. Now it is dispersed and no more trac...
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: Helicopter hieroglyphs
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicopter_hieroglyphs -
Source: egypt-museum.com
Link: https://egypt-museum.com/helicopter-hieroglyphs/Source snippet
Helicopter Hieroglyphs... Abydos are not depictions of futuristic machines, but the result of a palimpsest. This explanation may upset th...
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: Abydos, Egypt
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abydos%2C_EgyptSource snippet
Abydos, EgyptOne of the oldest cities of ancient Egypt, and also of the eighth nome in Upper Egypt. It is located about 11 kilometres...
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Source: abydos.org
Link: https://abydos.org/Source snippet
Abydos ArchaeologyThe mission of Abydos Archaeology is to advance knowledge about ancient Egypt's most sacred site—home of Egypt's first...
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Source: justapedia.org
Link: https://justapedia.org/wiki/Tulli_PapyrusSource snippet
Tulli PapyrusAccording to Thayer, the transcription was sent to him by Boris de Rachewiltz who supposedly found the original transcriptio...
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Source: madainproject.com
Link: https://madainproject.com/helicopter_hieroglyphsSource snippet
Helicopter HieroglyphsThe so-called helicopter-hieroglyph, a palimpsest relief, is a result two overlapping inscriptions, the titles of R...
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Source: xaluannews.com
Title: A copy of the Tulli Papyrus using hieroglyphics
Link: https://www.xaluannews.com/modules.php?file=article&name=News&sid=3263188Source snippet
Tulli Papyrus: An Ancient Document That Reveals Flying 'Fiery...16 Sept 2021 — The Tulli “papyrus” is a translation of a modern transcri...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/487928085829929/posts/1616875699601823/Source snippet
Tulli papyrus describes ancient ufo sighting in EgyptAccording to a translation of the Papyrus by one Boris de Rachewiltz, an Italian-Rus...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/Egypt.Museum/posts/the-so-called-helicopter-hieroglyphs-high-upon-the-walls-of-the-temple-of-seti-i/1232529125569341/Source snippet
Egypt MuseumThe term "Helicopter Hieroglyphs" refers to a modern interpretation of a set of certain ancient Egyptian reliefs, found in th...
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Source: britannica.com
Link: https://www.britannica.com/place/Abydos-ancient-city-EgyptSource snippet
Abydos | Egypt, Map, History, & FactsAbydos, prominent sacred city and one of the most important archaeological sites of ancient Egypt. T...
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Source: penn.museum
Link: https://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/abydos/Source snippet
Expedition MagazineBy about 2000 B.C. the original god of Abydos, the dog-shaped funerary deity Khentamenty, had been absorbed by Osiris...
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Source: discover.hubpages.com
Title: It is not available and is no longer traceable.” They inquired after Tulli’s
Link: https://discover.hubpages.com/religion-philosophy/the-tulli-papyrus-proof-of-alien-visitors-or-masterful-forgerySource snippet
Tulli Papyrus: Proof of Alien Visitors or Masterful...Jul 4, 2023 — “The Tulli Papyrus is not in possession of the Vatican Museum...
Additional References
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Source: tripadvisor.com
Link: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g1051491-d4060390-Reviews-Abydos-Sohag_Sohag_Governorate_Nile_River_Valley.htmlSource snippet
Abydos, SohagThe Temple of Seti I is located in Abydos which is 1.5 hours from Sohag. It's very well preserved. The most famous attractio...
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Source: jasoncolavito.com
Link: https://www.jasoncolavito.com/the-condon-report-on-ancient-astronauts.htmlSource snippet
The Condon Report on Ancient AstronautsPapyrus Tulli not propriety [sic] of Vatican Museum. Now it is dispersed and no more traceable. Th...
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Source: scribd.com
Link: https://www.scribd.com/document/323792193/Tulli-PapyrusSource snippet
Revised Translation of Tulli Papyrus | PDF | Ancient EgyptThis document provides a revised translation of the Tulli Papyrus, an ancient E...
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Source: medium.com
Link: https://medium.com/on-the-trail-of-the-saucers/the-ancient-egyptian-ufo-b5a6a52024f5Source snippet
The Ancient Egyptian UFO | Point of ContactThe purported ancient Egyptian account of a UFO derives from a single source known as the Tull...
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Source: academia.edu
Link: https://www.academia.edu/145219775/Anatomy_of_a_Palimpsest_The_Not_So_Strange_Case_of_the_Abydos_HelicopterSource snippet
The Not-So-Strange Case of the Abydos HelicopterA detailed discussion of a palimpsest, i.e. re-carved, inscription of Sety I and Ramesses...
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Source: facebook.com
Title: a 3000 year old record of something not humanthe papyrus that tells of visitors
Link: https://www.facebook.com/lifesbiggestquestionsofficial/posts/a-3000-year-old-record-of-something-not-humanthe-papyrus-that-tells-of-visitors-/1251923443623186/Source snippet
A 3000-year-old record of something NOT human The...This image is a depiction of an ancient Egyptian papyrus, believed to originate arou...
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Source: archaeo-acoustics.com
Title: the [abydos helicopter]({{ ‘abydos-helicopter/’ | relative_url }}) a masterclass in perception palimpsests and patience
Link: https://www.archaeo-acoustics.com/post/the-abydos-helicopter-a-masterclass-in-perception-palimpsests-and-patienceSource snippet
Instead, it reveals us. It shows how our modern minds project their own world onto...Read more...
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Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/aliens/comments/136ru1c/these_ancient_egyptian_carvings_show_a_helicopter/Source snippet
I and eventually eroded by thousands of years.Read more...
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Source: thearchaeologist.org
Title: the abydos helicopter hieroglyphics
Link: https://www.thearchaeologist.org/blog/the-abydos-helicopter-hieroglyphicsSource snippet
Egypt ancient HELICOPTER hieroglyph mystery solved17 Dec 2022 — The helicopter hieroglyphs is a name given to part of an Egyptian hierogl...
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Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/HighStrangeness/comments/14qxunf/the_tulli_papyrus_proof_of_alien_visitors_or/Source snippet
"dispersed & no longer traceable". That Tulli guy was...
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