For centuries, humans have been captivated by mysterious phenomena in the sky. From strange shapes to glowing lights, accounts of unusual aerial events have sparked curiosity and inspired countless questions. But did reports of UFOs exist long before the 20th century? And if so, were they really encounters with extraterrestrial visitors—or simply reflections of cultural beliefs and natural events misunderstood at the time?
Ancient Sky Events: Signs, Omens, or Something Else?
The earliest recorded observations of strange phenomena in the sky come from ancient civilizations. Sumerian and Babylonian cuneiform tablets, such as those in the Šumma ālu series from the second millennium B.C., describe shifting shapes and black meteors appearing in the heavens. These texts often interpreted such occurrences as divine omens rather than mysterious visitors from another world.
Chris Aubeck, director of the Magonia Exchange—an archival project dedicated to UFO history—emphasizes the challenges of defining ancient accounts as UFO sightings. “There is no consensus on what constitutes the first recorded UFO sighting in history,” Aubeck explained. He points out that while ancient records document strange celestial events, their meanings were often tied to spiritual beliefs.
Greg Eghigian, a historian and professor at Penn State, agrees, according to Live Science. He notes that ancient accounts must be viewed within their cultural context. “These stories are disconnected from the societies in which they were created,” he said. What appears puzzling or extraterrestrial today was often a symbol of divine intervention, religious significance, or natural phenomena like comets or meteors.
The Nuremberg “Sky Battle” of 1561
One of the most vivid historical accounts of an aerial phenomenon occurred on April 14, 1561, in Nuremberg, Germany. Witnesses described orbs, crosses, and other shapes battling in the sky, accompanied by a mysterious black arrow-like object. Hans Glaser, a local artist, even created a woodcut illustrating the event, depicting the objects as they “fell from the sky, burning as they hit the ground.”
Although dramatic, this event was interpreted at the time as a divine sign or apocalyptic warning. Modern researchers note that the imagery and interpretation reflect the religious worldview of the era rather than evidence of extraterrestrial visitors.
UFOs Enter the Modern Era
The narrative around UFOs shifted dramatically in 1947 when amateur pilot Kenneth Arnold reported seeing nine fast-moving objects near Mount Rainier, Washington. He described their movement as resembling a saucer skipping across water, leading to the now-iconic term “flying saucer.”
Arnold’s account captured public imagination, sparking a surge in reported sightings and the birth of modern UFO culture. At the time, many people believed these objects were advanced military aircraft rather than extraterrestrial visitors, reflecting Cold War-era anxieties.
“This sighting is widely regarded as the event that kick-started modern UFO culture,” Aubeck stated.
While UFO sightings continue to fascinate, they often reveal more about human culture than the mysteries of the cosmos. “Studying UFO sightings is valuable because they represent the urban legends of our time,” Aubeck explained. These stories demonstrate how cultural narratives and imagination shape the way we interpret the unknown.
Throughout history, people have gazed upward and wondered about the mysterious lights, shapes, and movements that defied explanation, weaving them into the fabric of their culture and beliefs. For ancient civilizations, these celestial events were often interpreted as messages from gods, warnings of impending events, or signs of divine favor. In more recent times, they’ve evolved into symbols of scientific intrigue, Cold War paranoia, and even hopes for extraterrestrial contact.
I believe that UFOs, in this sense, are far more than just strange objects in the sky. They represent the stories we tell ourselves about our place in the universe. Are we alone? Are there forces beyond our comprehension shaping our destiny? Every sighting, whether dismissed as a natural phenomenon or celebrated as a groundbreaking discovery, invites us to confront these timeless questions.
This enduring curiosity and creativity reveal something deeply human: our ability to turn the unknown into stories, myths, and hypotheses.
