Historical documentation of UFO sightings goes as far back as the Egyptian Pharaoh Thutmose III, who reigned Egypt around 1504-1450 B.C. The Egyptian papyrus described a fleet of flying saucers darting through the sky. The papyrus included many details of the event, including the date. It was in 1522 BC, on the third month of winter and the 6th hour of the day that a group of Egyptian scribes (of the House of Life) witnessed what were fire-breathing rods in the sky that came with a foul odor. The rods formed a circle of fire, which was later witnessed by the Pharaoh and his army. They watched as the rods of fire disappeared into the sky. Soon after witnessing the event, the Pharaoh ordered an offering of incense for peace on earth and ordered the scribes to record the event.
Strange stories of UFO sightings were documented a bit more carefully during the time of the Great Roman Empire. Roman author, Julius Obsequens, who lived in the fourth century A.D., drew on many sources of his time to compile his book “Prodigorium Liber, which describes many peculiar UFO phenomenons.
Events ranging from ships of fire going through the sky in Italy to globes of fire in Rome were recorded for 100s of years. In the territory of Spoletium (65 Roman miles north of Rome, in Umbria) a globe of fire, fell to the earth, gyrating. It then seemed to increase in size, rose from the earth, and ascended into the sky, where it obscured the disc of the sun, with its brilliance. It revolved towards the eastern quadrant of the sky and disappeared into the atmosphere. The event was recorded by Julius Obsequens and was said to occur around the year 99 AD.
The Middle Ages was considered our darkest time in history, but electrifying UFO sightings were carefully documented throughout Europe. Stories of pillars of fire in the sky, fiery wheels, and flying ships were carefully recorded by monks or monarchs who wished to keep a history of the events. They all had the same thing in common. The object would disappear into the sky just as suddenly as it appeared and the light from it usually out shone the sun.
The 20th century seems to be the era that witnessed UFOs the most. Although some would argue that, the reason we have more documentation is more people can read and write. In addition, the invention of the camera did not hurt either.
The year 1958 is arguably the best year for UFOs in the 20th century. Some of the greatest photos of “proof” of alien spacecraft were taken near Trinidade Island in the South Atlantic Ocean. It served a purpose for United States and Brazil Navy.
One of the six pictures taken at Trinidade by Naval photographer Almiro Barauna. shows a saturn-like object flying over the landscape. The craft hovered for 15 seconds, allowing Barauna the time to quickly shoot photos of the craft while in motion.
The flying object had been seen by about 50 witnesses, and when the photos were developed and authenticated by the Brazilian Navy, they were released to the press by the President of Brazil, Mr. Joscelino Kubitschek.
With more than 92 UFO sightings last year in Britain alone, the 21st century is aware of even more activity in the skies. Perhaps one of the most famous sightings so far is the recent sightings in Stevensville, Texas where many saw a UFO in the evening of January 8, 2008. The U.S. Air Force described it as an optical illusion. However, residents saw the Air Force chasing the object in the sky.
Three police officers along with several other residents witnessed a globe hovering about 300 feet from the ground then zipping into the sky at unbelievable speeds. Mike Zimmerman, 62, a veteran officer of 25 years with the Texas Department of Public Safety saw three bright lights in the sky from his bedroom window. AT first, he thought it was the military base close by working on beams in the sky. Then he saw the unusual movement of an orb in the sky with different lights and all scattered in different directions and disappeared. The Stevensville sighting was shown on Larry King Live shortly after the event and hit the newspapers and television stations worldwide.
The sighting of the oblong globe in the sky is even more credible because military personnel along with dozens of residents and peace officers have come forward to attest to having witnessed the event.
Resources: Reader’s Digest 2001, Mysteries of the Unexplained
Fate Magazine Sept. 1992, Alien Abduction
CNN coverage of UFOs in Stevensville on YouTube
