The Story Behind the Papyrus

The Tulli Papyrus supposedly dates to the reign of Thutmose III (around 1479-1425 BCE) and contains an account of strange aerial phenomena witnessed during ancient Egyptian times. The document allegedly describes "circles of fire" that appeared in the sky, emitted a foul odor, and eventually departed after several days.

The papyrus fragment was reportedly discovered in 1934 by Alberto Tulli, who was the director of the Egyptian Museum at the Vatican. According to the story, Tulli found the papyrus in an antique shop in Cairo but couldn't purchase it due to its high price. Instead, he made a copy of the hieroglyphics.

The Controversial Translation

The most widely circulated translation comes from Prince Boris de Rachewiltz, who published it in the 1950s. According to this translation, the papyrus describes:

"In the year 22, in the third month of winter, in the sixth hour of the day, the scribes of the House of Life noticed a circle of fire that was coming from the sky [...] From the mouth it emitted a foul breath. It had no head. Its body was one rod long and one rod wide. It had no voice. Their hearts became confused through it; then they laid themselves on their bellies [...] they went to the Pharaoh to report it. His Majesty ordered [...] has been examined [...] and he was meditating on what had happened, that it was recorded in the scrolls of the House of Life. Now after some days had passed, these things became more numerous in the skies than ever. They shone more in the sky than the brightness of the sun, and extended to the limits of the four angles of the sky [...] Powerful was the position of the fire circles. The army of the Pharaoh looked on with him in their midst. It was after supper. Then these fire circles ascended higher in the sky to the south..."

The Skeptical Perspective

Despite its popularity in UFO literature, there are several reasons to be skeptical about the Tulli Papyrus:

1. No original exists - The original papyrus has never been located. We only have copies of copies.
2. Questionable provenance - The chain of custody is problematic. Tulli died in 1974, and his brother-in-law claimed the original hieroglyphic copy was lost.
3. Translation issues - Some Egyptologists have questioned the translation and suggest it may be describing a natural phenomenon like meteors or an unusual cloud formation.
4. Possible hoax - Some researchers suggest the whole thing might be a fabrication.

Questions for Discussion

• Do you think there's any legitimacy to the Tulli Papyrus account?
• If it is authentic, what natural phenomena might explain the "circles of fire"?
• Why do you think ancient UFO accounts like this one continue to fascinate us?
• Are there other ancient texts that you find more compelling as evidence of possible ET visitation?

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this enigmatic text. Whether you're a believer, a skeptic, or just curious about historical mysteries, I think this makes for a fascinating discussion!